India coronavirus cases cross 100k mark

The total number of coronavirus patients across India crossed the one lakh mark today with 4,970 more cases in the last 24 hours, according to health ministry data.

The total number of deaths soared to 3,163, including 134 in the last 24 hours, and the number of recovered has risen to 39,173, the ministry said in its latest update this morning.

The latest figures came a day after several Indian states extended the ongoing lockdown till May 31, while allowing considerable relaxations including opening of markets, inter-state movement of personal vehicles and various modes of public transport, except metro rail.

The Indian home ministry issued guidelines for the fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown, which began on Sunday, giving power to states to delineate red, green and orange Covid-19 hotspots as per the ground situation, taking into consideration the parameters shared by the federal health ministry.

The health ministry elaborated that demarcation of the zones would be based on total active cases, cases per lakh population, doubling rate calculated over a seven-day period, case fatality rate, testing ratio (number of tests per lakh population) and sample positivity rate.

In terms of confirmed Covid-19 cases per lakh population, India has so far about 7.1 cases per lakh population vis-a-vis approximately 60 cases per lakh population for the world as a whole, the health ministry data said.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Monday evening that India took all necessary steps well in time, including surveillance at points of entry, evacuation of nationals stranded overseas, massive community surveillance through robust disease surveillance network, strengthening of health infrastructure, capacity building of over two million frontline human resources and risk communication.

"I think we did our best and we did well. We are learning and we are confident of doing better in the months to come," he said.