Coronavirus News Highlights: 2,250 cases reported in Maharashtra, tally nears 40K; 'Pak terror camps hit by COVID-19'

With that it's a wrap to the day's live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic in India and abroad. Do join us tomorrow for latest developments on the COVID-19 situation. Until then, stay safe, safe secure. Good night.   

Coronavirus in Ahmedabad LIVE updates: Death toll in crosses 600-mark; 271 new cases found

The death toll due to COVID-19 in Ahmedabad rose to 602 on Wednesday with 26 more patients succumbing in hospitals here, while the tally of cases increased to 9,216 with the addition of 271 new infections, the state health department said. Ahmedabad, the worst coronavirus-afflicted district in Gujarat, also reported recovery of 107 coronavirus patients, taking the number of such people to 3,130, it said. There are 5,484 active cases in the district, the health department said. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation on Wednesday announced that industrial units will be allowed to operate in both the eastern and western parts of the city except those located in containment zones. Areas on the western part of the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad city outside of containment zone have been given a number of lockdown relaxations since May 19.

Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates: Call on lifting home delivery ban on newspapers soon, says Uddhav Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said the ban on door-to-door delivery of newspapers was a temporary step and a decision regarding revoking it will be taken after evaluating the prevailing coronavirus situation. Thackeray, who held a meeting with newspaper distributors, said the decision to ban door-to-door delivery of newspapers was taken to curb the spread of the viral infection. In the fourth phase of the lockdown, which is in force till May 31, focus is on red zones and COVID-19 containment areas, he said, adding some relaxation in curbs had been given elsewhere.

Coronavirus in Maharashtra LIVE updates: State reports 2,000-plus cases for 4th day in a row

Maharashtra recorded 2,250 new coronavirus patients on Wednesday, taking the tally of cases in the state to 39,297. With 65 COVID-19 patients dying, 41 of them in Mumbai, the death toll in the state stood at 1,390, said the health department. This was the fourth consecutive day when the state reported more than 2,000 coronavirus cases. Maharashtra coronavirus figures are as follows: Positive cases 39,297, new cases 2,250, deaths 1,390, discharged 10,318, active cases 27,581, people tested so far 3,07,072, PTI reported.

Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu LIVE updates: COVID-19 count cross 13,000, toll rises to 87

The number of persons who tested positive for Coronavirus over the past 24 hours in Tamil Nadu touched a new high of 743, taking the total tally to 13,191 persons, the State Health Department said on Wednesday. In a statement issued here, the Department also said three Covid-19 patients lost their lives taking the total death toll to 87, while 987 patients were cured and discharged on Wednesday and the total so far is 5,882. The total number of active cases in Tamil Nadu now stands at 7,219. Included in the new infections list include 83 persons who had returned from Maharashtra. According to the government, a total of 11,894 samples were tested, taking to total over 3.6 lakh till date. Testing of 566 samples are under process. State capital Chennai continued to see highest number of infections at 557, taking the total tally to 8,228.

Coronavirus in Kerala LIVE updates: 24 new cases in Kerala, COVID-19 tally touches 666

In a steep spike in COVID-19 cases in Kerala, 24 people were infected on Wednesday, taking the infection tally to 666, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. At least 74,000 people are under observation, 533 in various hospitals, including 156 admitted today. Of the positive cases, all but one are returnees-- 12 from abroad and 11 from other states-- eight from Maharashtra, where 22,563 coronavirus positive cases have been registered, and three from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where the cumulative tally has crossed 12,000, the chief minister said. One person from Kannur had been infected through contact.

Coronavirus in Sri Lanka LIVE updates: Stranded to sail back from island nation on June 1

The Indian mission in Sri Lanka has made arrangements to repatriate its nationals stranded in the island nation due to the travel restrictions triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak. The voyage will be part of "Operation Samudra Setu" under which Indian Naval ships are bringing back stranded citizens from abroad. "Continuing the ongoing efforts for repatriation of Indian nationals stranded in Sri Lanka an Indian Naval Ship INS Jalashwa will make a voyage to Tuticorin from Colombo Port on June 1, 2020," said an Indian High Commission release. The number of Indian nationals stranded in Sri Lanka was not immediately known. Priority will be given to compelling cases, including migrant workers/labourers who have been laid off, short-term visa-holders faced with expiry of documents, people with medical emergency, pregnant women, elderly persons, persons required to return to India due to death in family and students.

Coronavirus in Gujarat LIVE updates: 562 trains carried over 8 lakh migrants from state until May 19

Of the total 1,770 Shramik special trains run across the country till Tuesday, 562 originated from Gujarat, which ferried 8.8 lakh workers to their home states, a senior official said on Wednesday. Another 1.10 lakh migrant workers will leave Gujarat in 72 trains by Wednesday midnight, Ashwani Kumar, secretary to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, said. Among the trains that originated from Gujarat, 393 had left for Uttar Pradesh, 69 for Bihar, 40 for Odisha, 24 for Madhya Pradesh, 18 for Jharkhand, seven for Chhattisgarh and 11 for West Bengal, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

Coronavirus in India LIVE updates: Centre sanctions Rs 46,038.70 cr as states' shares in taxes for May

The finance ministry on Monday said it has sanctioned Rs 46,038.70 crore for May instalment of devolution of states' share in central taxes and duties. "These releases, similar to April releases, have been calculated based on tax receipts projected in Budget 2020-21 & not as per actuals," the ministry said in a tweet. It added that the Government of India's prime objective has been protecting states' revenues and meeting their liquidity requirements in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Budget had projected the share of the states in taxes at Rs 7.84 lakh crore for 2020-21. The 15th Finance Commission had recommended the share of states at 41 per cent of the divisible pool and 1 per cent for the newly-created union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The 14th Finance Commission had recommended the states be given 42 per cent share in taxes.

Coronavirus in Pakistan LIVE updates: 'Pak terror camps hit by coronavirus, Kashmiri trainees may die'

The terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have been hit by the coronavirus and some Kashmiris undergoing training in those camps could die of COVID-19 as "nobody bothers about them", J&K Director General of Police Dilbag Singh has said. Citing an intercepted phone-call made by a trainee from his PoK camp to his family in Kashmir, Singh said there are fears that the desperate terrorists would try to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir and spread the deadly virus in the Valley. The revelation has come as intelligence agencies, too, say Pakistan is pushing militants infected with COVID-19 into Kashmir. "There are reports that somebody from a training camp in Pakistan, where he is being trained, made a call to his family members here (Kashmir), telling them that some of the trainees from Kashmir have been infected by the coronavirus," the DGP told PTI in an interview.