India's COVID-19 death toll rises to 68, number of cases shoots up to 2,902

The number of COVID-19 cases in India climbed to 2,902 on Saturday (April 4) while the death toll rose to 68, according to the Union Health Ministry.

The number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 2,650, while 183 people were either cured or discharged and one had migrated to another country, it said.

As per the ministry’s updated data on coronavirus cases on Saturday morning, six fresh deaths were reported — three from Maharashtra, two from Delhi and one from Gujarat.

Thus, Maharashtra has reported the most deaths (19) so far, followed by Gujarat (9),  Telangana (7), Madhya Pradesh (6), Delhi (6), Punjab (5), Karnataka (3), West Bengal (3), Jammu and Kashmir (2), Uttar Pradesh (2), and Kerala (2). Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Himachal Pradesh have reported a death each.

The figure of 2,902 includes 55 foreign nationals.

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The highest number of confirmed cases of the pandemic was reported from Maharashtra at 423 followed by Tamil Nadu with 411 infections. The number of cases in Delhi has gone up to 386, in Kerala to 295, in Rajasthan to 179 and in Uttar Pradesh to 174. In Andhra Pradesh, cases have increased to 161 while Telengana has 158 positive patients so far.

The cases in Karnataka have risen to 128. Madhya Pradesh has reported 104 cases so far, Gujarat 95 while Jammu and Kashmir has 75 positive patients so far. The number of cases has risen to 63 in West Bengal. Punjab has reported 53 cases of COVID-19 so far followed by Haryana with 49 cases.

Bihar has 29, Assam has 24, Chandigarh 18, Uttarakhand 16 and Ladakh has reported 14 cases so far.

Ten cases have been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Chhattisgarh has nine positive patients so far. Goa and Himachal Pradesh have have reported six coronavirus cases each. Odisha  and Puducherry have five cases each.

Jhakhand and Manipur have reported two cases each while Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh have reported a case each.

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Meanwhile, a 75-year-old man has succumbed to coronavirus in Karnataka’s Bagalkote, taking the death toll in the state to four, officials said.

The victim, who was a trader and did not have any travel history, died on Friday (April 3).

“Yes, a death has taken place,” K Rajendra, the Deputy Commissioner of Bagalkote, told PTI. He said the victim was not related to Tablighi Jamaat. Police said the victim’s children were also screened for the virus but have tested negative.

The first death due to COVID-19 in the Karnataka was reported in Kalaburagi, which also happened to be the first death due to the deadly virus in the country. The second incident was reported from Chikkaballapura and the third one from in Tumakuru.

So far, 128 people have been tested positive in the state, including the four persons who died of this viral disease, according to the officials.

(With inputs from agencies)