India's COVID-19 death toll rises to 308, cases cross 9,000-mark

India recorded 308 deaths due to the novel coronavirus pandemic on Monday (April 13) after 35 new fatalities were reported, while the number of cases rose to 9,152, according to the Union Health Ministry.

According to ministry data released at 8 am, the number of active coronavirus cases stood at 7,987. As many as 856 people have been cured and discharged, while one had migrated. The total number of cases include 72 foreign nationals.

Thirty-five deaths have been reported since Sunday evening, of which 22 were reported from Maharashtra, five from Delhi, three from Gujarat, two from West Bengal and one each from Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh.

States that have reported the most number of coronavirus cases are Maharashtra (1,985), Delhi (1,154), Tamil Nadu (1,075), Rajasthan (804) and Madhya Pradesh (532) and Gujarat (516).

The central government which is mulling an extension of the existing 21-day lockdown may divide the country into three zones marked by red, orange and green. The colours would determine the severity of the infection in a region.

Red zones are COVID-19 hotspots or areas which have recorded a maximum number of cases. There will be no activity in these areas.

Orange zones, or areas which had reported a few cases in the past, but showed no further increase in positive cases, would witnesses minimum activities like opening of regulated public transport and harvest of crops.

Green zones are areas which haven’t reported any COVID-19 cases.

Meanwhile, the Council of Ministers, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nirmala Sitharaman, will resume work at their ministries from Monday, reports said.

(With inputs from agencies)