India ‘COVID-19’ Confirmed Cases at 40,263, Recovered 10,887, Deaths 1,306. Globally,Confirmed 3.45M, Recovered 1.1M Deaths, 244K

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 40,263 by Sunday 5 PM, including 28,070 active cases, 10,886 recoveries, 1 migrated patient and 1,306 deaths, according to latest update by the Union Health Ministry on its website. The country recorded 2,487 fresh coronavirus cases and 83 deaths in the last 24 hours. Earlier today, after its announcement to extend the nationwide lockdown for 2 more weeks till May 17, the central government has since issued a series of clarifications regarding allowing certain services to run in Red, Orange and Green Zones from May 4. Among several services allowed to run, the Union Home Ministry has allowed standalone shops or the ones in the neighbourhoods to open but only in non-containment areas, meanwhile the alcohol shops are allowed to open Orange and Green Zones- allowed in these zones. Other services such as salons, barber shops and cabs etc hae been allowed but with certain riders in these zones.

As India’s 40-day lockdown ends on Sunday, the armed forces on Sunday conducted aerial fly-pasts to shower flower petals on various hospitals across India to express gratitude to lakhs of doctors, paramedics, healthcare workers and other frontline warriors engaged in fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic. The Indian Navy will also light up its ships at sea in the evening to pay its tribute to the corona warriors. The activities will go on for around 10 hours in several parts of the country throughout the day. Modi-government has extended the nationwide lockdown by 2 more weeks till May 17, albeit with some relaxations in green and orange zones. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also issued new guidelines to regulate several activities during the lockdown 3.0 duration.

Spain’s death toll rose by 164 to 25,264 on Sunday, the health ministry said, the lowest one-day increase since March 18. Confirmed cases of the virus rose to 217,466 from 216,582, the ministry said.

Afghanistan’s health ministry raised the alarm over the spread of the new coronavirus after a small study with random tests in Kabul suggested that about a third of the capital’s residents could be infected.

In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced 164 new deaths, the lowest since March 18. The country’s total death has passed 25,000.

Russia and India both recorded their highest daily rise of coronavirus infections.

Worldwide, the number of confirmed infections stands above 3.44 million, with more than 244,000 deaths and approximately 1.1 million recoveries.