Death toll due to COVID-19 rises to 480; confirmed cases climb to 14,378

The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 480 and total the number of cases shot up to 14,378 in the country on Saturday (April 18), according to the Union Health Ministry.

While the number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 11,906, as many as 1,991 people have been cured and discharged, and one had migrated, it said.

The total number of cases includes 76 foreign nationals.

Twenty-eight deaths have been reported since Friday (April 17) evening — 12 from Madhya Pradesh, seven from Maharashtra, four from Delhi, three from Gujarat, and one each from Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar.

Of the total 480 deaths, Maharashtra tops the tally with 201 fatalities, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 69, Delhi at 42, Gujarat at 41 and Telangana at 18.

Tamil Nadu has reported 15 deaths while Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have reported 14 fatalities each. Punjab and Karnataka have reported 13 deaths each. Rajasthan has registered 11 deaths while West Bengal has reported 10 deaths.

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Five people have died in Jammu and Kashmir while Kerala and Haryana have recorded three deaths each. Jharkhand and Bihar have reported two deaths each. Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Assam reported one fatality each, according to the health ministry’s data updated in the morning.

The highest number of confirmed cases in the country is from Maharashtra at 3,323, followed by Delhi at 1,707, Tamil Nadu at 1,323 and Madhya Pradesh at 1,310.

COVID-19 cases have gone up to 1,229 in Rajasthan, 1,099 in Gujarat and 849 in Uttar Pradesh. Telangana has 766 cases, followed by Andhra Pradesh at 572 and Kerala at 396. The number of novel coronavirus cases has risen to 359 in Karanataka, 328 in Jammu and Kashmir, 287 in West Bengal, 225 in Haryana and 202 in Punjab.

Bihar has reported 83 cases and Odisha 60. Forty people were infected with the virus in Uttarakhand, while Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh have 36 cases each. Assam has registered 35 cases so far.

Jharkhand has 33 cases, Chandigarh 21 and Ladakh 18. Twelve cases have been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Meghalaya has reported nine cases while Goa and Puducherry have reported seven COVID-19 infections each. Manipur and Tripura have two cases each, while Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh have reported a case each.

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“State-wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation,” the ministry said on its website.

The website also mentions that a COVID-19 patient from Nagaland has been shifted to Assam.

Meanwhile, the Telangana government has launched a helpline to address mental health and psychological problems that may arise during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

Announcing the launch in a tweet on Friday night, Minister for IT and Industries, KT Rama Rao said, “#Telangana Commissionerate of Health & Family Welfare launched helpline 108 to address Mental Health & Psychosocial issues during #Lockdown Citizens emotional well being is one of our top priorities. 108 Helpline will be working 24/7.”

(With inputs from agencies)