COVID-19: 20 green zones in 8 states reported cases since April 29

COVID-19 cases have been reported in 20 green zone districts in eight states, including Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, between April 29 and May 7, while four states have reported at least 50 per cent increase in cases during this period. The eight states also include Punjab, Haryana, Tripura, West Bengal, Gujarat and Odisha.

According to the Union government’s Friday morning update, as many as 3,390 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the last 24 hours. This is for the third time that the number crossed 3,000 in a single day in the last four days.

Bihar reported 24 fresh cases on Friday, and touched a total tally of 574. The basis reproduction number, denoted by R0, of Bihar stands at 2.95, which is a cause of serious concern and implies cases of the infection will be increasing exponentially.

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Tamil Nadu reported 600 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday with state capital Chennai accounting for 391 cases. The state’s tally now stands at 6,009. There are a total of 445 containment zones in Chennai with the addition of 26 on Friday.

Mumbai’s COVID-19 tally touched 11,967 with 748 fresh cases being reported in the last 24 hours. With 25 more deaths, the toll in the financial capital stands at 462, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray addressing the State https://t.co/ZZ65xsR3Oy

— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) May 8, 2020

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday refuted rumours that Army will be called in to manage the coronavirus crisis in Mumbai. However, the state government, if necessary, might ask for “additional manpower” from the Union government to give respite to the police in the state capital who are working round-the-clock, he said in a live webcast.

Gujarat reported 390 COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths on Friday, with the total number of cases touching 7,403, including 449 deaths and 1,872 recoveries. On Friday, 163 patients recovered.

Odisha’s tally jumped to 270 with 51 fresh infections being reported on Friday.

In Rajasthan, 152 new cases were reported, taking the state’s total tally to 3,579, including 103 deaths.

Meanwhile, a housing society in Ghaziabad issued a diktat saying that it won’t allow entry and exit of doctors and paramedics residing in the society after May 10.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday held a telephone conversation with his counterpart in Japan, Taro Kono, during which the two ministers discussed their country’s responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.