Highlights: World Bank approves $1 billion emergency financing for India

Preeti Sudan, Secretary at Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has written to Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories with directions of the Supreme Court on redressal of grievances of migrant labourers in different parts of the country: ANI

The United States has praised Indian engineers for building a lost-cost ventilator and hopes that the invention succeeds and can eventually be mass produced as the critical medical equipment can save many lives from the deadly coronavirus, reports PTI.

"We are cheering on these Indian engineers as they race to build a low-cost ventilator -- a potential game-changer for COVID19,” Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice G Wells tweeted.

With support from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineers and production advice from a US-based company, "we hope this invention succeeds & can eventually be produced at scale,” Wells wrote.

According to the MIT, in the US alone, the COVID-19 pandemic may cause ventilator shortages of 300,000-700,000 units. An increase in conventional ventilator production is very likely to fall short and with significant associated costs.

WHO praises India's response to ward off COVID-19, say $22.6 bn stimulus plan will benefit those who live on daily subsistence

In a big setback to the state government, the Kerala High court on Thursday stayed its decision to distribute liquor to those who come with doctors' prescriptions. Hearing a clutch of petitions by doctors, IMA and prohibition activists, the court asked the government the rationale for supplying liquor in the prevailing situation.

Opposition Congress welcomed the HC decision and said it is a slap on the face of the Government.

Another Covid-19 case in Mumbai's Dharavi has been reported - the second from the area so far. A 52-year-old BMC sanitisation worker has been found positive for the virus. He lives in the Worli area but was posted at Dharavi for cleaning, said an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC): ANI

LNJP Hospital Medical director Dr JC Passey: "Many of them (attendees of Tablighi Jamaat event) are objecting against testing & feel that they do not need admission. So, this put security of our staff at risk. Now, police have been deployed around three blocks where they have been kept." : ANI

Many of them (attendees of Tablighi Jamaat event) are objecting against testing&feel they don't need admission. So, this put security of our staff at risk. Now, police have been deployed around 3 blocks where they have been kept: Dr JC Passey*, Medical Director of LNJPN Hospital https://t.co/9Ai57TvMgS

— ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2020

The director of Delhi's Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital said on Thursday that there are 216 Covid-19 patients in the hospital out of which 188 are those who attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Nizamuddin, reports ANI.

Dr JC Passey, Medical Director of the hospital said, "We had received reports of 24 patients from the group (that attended the event) out of which 23 tested positive. This is alarming."

PM Modi holds meeting with CMs via video conferencing, reviews Covid-19 situation in the country

Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds meeting with Chief Ministers via video conferencing, on #COVID19 situation in the country. Home Minister Amit Shah & Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also present. pic.twitter.com/t0irTAXGc5

— ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2020

Congress President Sonia Gandhi: "Lockdown may be necessary but its unplanned implementation has caused chaos and pain to millions of migrant workers." PTI

"Government needs to put in place a comprehensive strategy to manage this crisis arising out of coronavirus lockdown," she added.

Arunachal Pradesh recorded its first Covid-19 positive case early on Thursday morning, the fourth state in the fourth state in northeast to report coronavirus infection.

The region now has a total of 20 patients—18 of them linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin in Delhi last month.

“Seven people from Arunachal Pradesh had attended the Nizamuddin event. Test results of one of them carried out at ICMR lab in Dibrugarh, Assam has come positive for Covid-19,” health minister Alo Libang told HT.

At the Congress Working Committee meeting, being held via video conferencing, Rahul Gandhi said, “Covid-19 particularly attacks aged persons, people with lung disease, diabetics, persons with heart disease, making them most vulnerable. All state governments need to issue special advisory for these categories and take care.”

A 65-yr-old woman has succumbed to coronavirus in Indore; MP toll reaches 7: Official: PTI

The Congress is holding a CWC meeting via video conferencing. Party president Sonia Gandhi said, "We meet today in midst of an unprecedented health and humanitarian crisis. The magnitude of the challenge before us is daunting but our resolve to overcome it must be greater."

“To fight Covid-19 virus, there is no alternative to constant and reliable testing. Our doctors, nurses, and health workers need all the support. Personal Protection Equipment such as hazmat suits, N-95 masks must be provided to them on a war footing,” she added.

Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting being held via video conferencing. Party Interim President Sonia Gandhi, Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi, and other senior leaders are attending the meeting. (Picture Source - All India Congress Committee) pic.twitter.com/QiqwIC9bD8

— ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2020

Seventeen people have returned to Tamil Nadu's Rameswaram after attending Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, district collector Veeraragavarav said on Thursday. Two of the returnees have tested positive for Covid-19 and admitted to District Government Hospital while 15 others are in isolation, he said. :ANI

An 85-year-old man from Alwar in Rajasthan who had tested positive for Covid-19 has died, Rohit Kumar Singh, additional chief secretary, Rajasthan health department said. He had a co-morbid condition of brain stroke paralysis: ANI