Coronavirus India news summary: cases and deaths - 17 May
Coronavirus India live updates: cases, deaths and news Sunday 17 May
This live blog is now closed but you can stay up to date with the latest Covid-19 breaking news and latest statistics for India via our Monday 18 May live feed here.
Indian lockdown extension confirmed by three states
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Goa all confirmed the extension of the lockdown in their states until 31 May.
Indian migrant laboures and their family members sit and wait for their turn to board a state bus in Noida outskirts of New Delhi. The Uttar Pradesh government has arranged for buses to ferry migrant labourers to their destinations as hundreds of them started walking to their villages by foot as no transport is available during the lockdown. Indian authorities have announced a further extension to the ongoing lockdown to stem the widespread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, until 31 May 2020. EFE/EPA/HARISH TYAGI
India lockdown 4 won't extend to railways, schools and businesses
India's railways, schools, shopping centres and religious meeting points will all remain closed during the 4th stage of the nationwide lockdown.
India cases surpass China
The Health Ministry said the number of cases in India had spiked to over 85,000 on Sunday, a larger figure than that of China where the coronavirus originated.
India NDMA to seek further lockdown extension
(Reuters) India's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) asked the government on Sunday to extend a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus to May 31, as cases exceeded 90,000 and further clashes erupted between police and stranded migrants.
The NDMA, responsible for setting policy on the lockdown, made its request in a letter to India's interior ministry, which is expected to issue detailed guidelines later on Sunday.
India has now reported more cases than China, where the virus first emerged late last year, although its number of deaths so far, at 2,872, is much lower than China's 4,600. The death toll in the United States and some European countries is much higher.
India's current lockdown, introduced on March 25 and extended several times, is due to expire at midnight on Sunday.
Delhi police officer tests positive for Covid-19 in Rashtrapati
A 58-year-old Assistant Commissioner from Delhi police force posted at Rashtrapati Bhawan has tested positive for Covid-19, the Times of India has reported. Five of his colleagues who has been in contact with have been placed into quarantine as a precaution. The officer, who is reported to be asymptomatic has been in confinement since Wednesday and has since been transferred to a private hospital.
New lockdown guidelines in India
Among the new guidelines in place as India's lockdown is extended into its fourth phase, sports complexes and stadiums will be allowed to reopen - without fans - and inter-state movement in passenger road vehicles is now permitted.
India lockdown 4.0 announced
India's Ministry of Home Affairs has confirmed that the nationwide lockdown in place in the country since 25 March has been extended until 31 May, with "considerable relaxations" in restrictions.
NDMA orders nationwide lockdown extension
India’s National Disaster Management Authority has directed the country's central and state governments to extend the lockdown in place in the nation until 31 May. Some states, such as Maharastra and Tamil Nadu, have already confirmed such moves.
Tamil Nadu also extends lockdown
The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has joined Maharastra in extending its lockdown measures until 31 May.
Maharastra lockdown extended until end of month
The chief minister of Maharastra, Uddhav Thackeray, has announced that the coronavirus lockdown in the state is to be extended until 31 May. Maharastra has been India's worst-hit state in the Covid-19 crisis.
Traffic officers in Kolkata use hand sanitiser at a traffic control booth during a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The Indian government is expected to announce the guidelines of the fourth phase of the lockdown on Sunday. (Photo: EFE/EPA/PIYAL ADHIKARY)
China admits to destroying early samples of coronavirus
US accusations have provoked a response
But China are saying they did everything by the book...
US to donate 200 ventilators
In response to journalists Trump was enthusiastic: "We are working very much with India and we have a tremendous Indian population in the US and many of the people are working on the vaccine too. We are working very closely with India".
Coronavirus a "demon"
An India-wide organisation of priests has asked Primer Minister Narendra Modi to reopen temples and pilgrimage centres to help in the fight against the coronavirus, saying the virus is a "demon" and that divine force is required to to kill it.
"If all temples, shrines and pilgrimage centres are reopened, the coronavirus cannot do any harm," Akhil Bhartiya Tirth Purohit Mahasabha national president Mahesh Pathak said in a letter to the prime minister on Saturday.
The government has banned congregations and closed temples and religious sites in a bid to check the spread of the virus.
India passes 90,000 mark on Saturday
The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in India has now passed the 90,000 mark, according to official figures collected by Johns Hopkins University. A major spike in daily cases on Saturday of 4,370 took India over the 90k level.
2,871 people have died from the disease in the country, while over 34,000 have recovered.
Latest figures at 06:00 IST on Sunday 17 May (02:30 CEST)
According to the latest figures published by Johns Hopkins University, 4,629,575 cases have been detected worldwide, with 311,425 deaths and 1,691,613 people now recovered.
In India, there have been 90,648 cases confirmed, 2,871 people have died and 34,224 people have recovered from the virus.
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The current third phase of the lockdown is due to end today, lockdown is expected to extend to 30 May with considerable relaxations is expected.
An official said lockdown 4.0 would be more about implementing its “spirit” than imposing restrictions.