With that it's a wrap to the LIVE updates on the coronavirus pandemic for today. Do join us tomorrow for the top developments on the COVID-19 situation from India and around the world. Until then, stay safe and good night. 

BMC to release asymptomatic patients to ensure beds for needy

As COVID-19 cases are going up rapidly in Mumbai, the city civic body on Monday decided to discharge asymptomatic patients at the earliest to vacate beds for the patients with more serious symptoms. The civic body has also decided to place the order for procuring 1.5 lakh injections of antiviral drug Remdesivir and other medical equipment to avoid any potential shortage of medicines at hospitals, a senior official said. In its order, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that no asymptomatic COVID-19 positive patient without any comorbidities will be allotted a COVID bed in any public or private hospital. It described the "needy" patient as the one with "mild or serious symptoms or a COVID-19 patient with comorbidities".

Bosnia sets record for daily COVID-19 deaths

Bosnia has set a record daily number of fatalities from COVID-19 as the Balkan nation struggles to contain a surge in infections. Authorities on Monday said that 93 people have died in the past 24 hours after being infected with the new coronavirus, while 856 people tested positive. Bosnia has reported among the highest death rates from the virus in the Balkans and wider Europe. This is partly because the country's health system remains weak after the war in 1992-95. The country has recorded 6,220 deaths from the virus since the start of the pandemic in the country of 3.3 million.

Gujarat sees 2,252 COVID-19 cases, 8 deaths; 1,731 discharged

Gujarat's COVID-19 caseload reached 3,03,118 after 2,252 people were detected with the infection on Monday, while the day also saw eight deaths and 1,731 people getting discharged, an official said. The state's toll is now 4,500 and the recovery count stands at 2,86,577, leaving it with 12,041 active cases, including 149 critical patients, he added. "Three deaths each took place in Ahmedabad and Surat and one each in Panchmahal and Rajkot. Surat reported 677 new cases, the highest in the state, followed by Ahmedabad with 612, Rajkot 242, Vadodara 236, Bhavnagar 45, Gandhinagar 44, Jamnagar 33, among others," he said. An update on the vaccination drive currently underway in the state was not provided for Monday by health department officials.

COVID: 902 new cases in Rajasthan

Rajasthan recorded 902 COVID-19 cases on Monday, taking the infection count to 3,31,578, an official report said. No COVID-19-related death was recorded in the last 24 hours, it said. Of the new cases, the maximum 142 cases were reported from Jodhpur followed by 135 from Jaipur, the report said. A total of 3,20,971 COVID-19 patients have recovered so far while the death toll due to the disease stands at 2,813, it said. The total number of active cases currently stands at 7,794, it added.

Humanigen says drug improves ventilator-free survival in COVID-19 patients

Humanigen Inc said on Monday its experimental COVID-19 drug met the main goal of improved survival without the need for mechanical ventilation in hospitalized patients in a late-stage trial, sending its shares soaring 60% before the opening bell. The company said it plans to submit an application for emergency use authorization (EUA) for its drug, lenzilumab, "as soon as possible". "We have already established some meetings with FDA over next couple of weeks, to better understand what would be necessary to submit an EUA application," Chief Executive Officer Cameron Durrant told Reuters.

Nagpur sees 3,177 COVID-19 cases, 55 deaths, 2,600 recoveries

The number of COVID-19 cases in Nagpur increased by 3,177 to reach 2,21,997 on Monday, while the day also saw 55 deaths and 2,600 people getting discharged, an official said. The toll in the district stands at 4,986 and the recovery count is 1,78,713, leaving it with 38,298 active cases, he added. With 12,089 samples being examined on Monday, the number of tests in Nagpur went up to 16,03,587.

Pak to impose lockdown in Lahore, other cities as coronavirus cases witness surge

Pakistan's Punjab government has decided to enforce an effective lockdown' in Lahore and other parts of the province of 110 million people from April 1 to contain the rise in coronavirus cases as the COVID-19 positivity rate has soared to more than 12 per cent. During the lockdown that will continue till April 11, a complete ban on wedding events and other gatherings in the province has been imposed. For the first time since the epidemic broke-out here, police registered 100 cases in Lahore for not wearing masks. The mass transit transport system, which includes the Orange Line Metro Train and the Speedo bus service, will also be closed while a complete ban on indoor and outdoor dining at all restaurants and hotels would be imposed. However, takeaway and home delivery would be allowed, said Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar during a press briefing here. 

Delhi Police chief visits field staff, distributes sweets on Holi

Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava on Monday paid a visit to the personnel deployed across the national capital in view of Holi celebrations, an official statement said. Shrivastava visited Dwarka, Palam flyover, Delhi Cantonment, Uttam Nagar Terminal, Vikaspuri Outer Ring Road, Peeragarhi flyover, Madhuban Chowk, Shanti Van , Raj Ghat, India Gate and Raj Path, it said. He also distributed sweets among the personnel, the statement said. The police chief also joined the staff at the central police control room (CPCR) at Shalimar Bagh, exchanged pleasantries and motivated them, it stated. The statement said optimal visibility through integrated checking pickets, that included personnel from the traffic police, district police and the PCR units to check unruly and dangerous driving, made sure that COVID-19 guidelines were followed strictly on the ground. Besides, a large number of woman personnel were also deployed on the around, including at specific places like women hostels near North and South Campus and PG accommodations in other parts of the city to check revellers, it said.

Over 1,900 cases in Delhi; positivity rate rises to 2.77%

Delhi recorded over 1,900 COVID-19 cases on Monday, the highest in around three-and-a-half months, while the positivity rate rose to 2.77 per cent, the Health Department said. Six more people succumbed to the disease, taking the death toll to 11,012, it said. The 1,904 new infections pushed the tally to 6,59,619, while over 6.40 lakh patients have recovered from the virus, it said. This is the highest number of cases since December 13 when 1,984 people tested positive for the virus, according to official data. The city had recorded 1,881 cases on Sunday, 1,558 cases on Saturday, 1,534 cases on Friday, 1,515 cases on Thursday, 1,254 cases on Wednesday and 1,101 cases on Tuesday -- the first time since December 24 that the number of cases crossed the 1,000 mark. The positivity rate was 2.35 per cent on Sunday,1.70 per cent on Saturday,1.80 per cent on Friday, 1.69 per cent on Thursday,1.52 per cent on Wednesday,1.31 per cent on Tuesday, and1.32 per cent on Monday.

Hungary leads European Union in vaccinations 

Hungary has vaccinated more of its population than any other country in the European Union, according to figures from an EU agency, but it continues to be one of the world's worst in the number of COVID-19 deaths per capita. The Central European country has given at least a first dose of a vaccine to 21.6% of its population, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, just ahead of the small island nation of Malta and surpassing the 27-member bloc's average of 12.3%. But Hungary's high vaccination rate, a product of a procurement strategy that secured doses from China and Russia in addition to those provided by the EU, has been unable to slow a surge in the pandemic that has given it the highest two-week mortality rate per capita in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Jammu and Kashmir reports 235 new COVID-19 cases and 126 recoveries today.

Total cases: 1,30,228

Active cases: 2110

Andhra Pradesh reports 997 new COVID-19 cases, 282 recoveries and 5 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Total cases: 8,99,812

Active cases: 6,104

Delhi reports 1904 new COVID-19 cases, 1411 recoveries and 6 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Total cases: 6,59,619

Active cases: 8032

Hotel Taj in Rishikesh closed for three days by the district administration, after 76 people were found to be COVID-19 positive there. The hotel was sanitised and has been closed as a precautionary measure: Tehri Garhwal SSP, Tripti Bhatt

Authorities in Barwani have decided to seal the Madhya Pradesh district's border with neighbouring Maharashtra to check the spread of coronavirus infection, says an official. The number of COVID-19 cases has been increasing in Barwani, district Collector Shivraj Singh Verma says.

Portugal tightens its flight restrictions due to COVID-19, introducing stricter limits on arrivals from other European Union countries where the pandemic has worsened. The Interior Ministry says that people arriving from countries with an incidence rate of more than 500 per 100,000 population over 14 days must quarantine for two weeks and can only come on essential business. That measure covers 11 EU countries, including France and Italy.

Johnson & Johnson will supply up to 220 million doses of its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine to African Union's 55 member states from the third quarter of 2021, the drugmaker said. J&J, through its unit Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, entered into a deal with the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT), which could order an additional 180 million doses, for a combined total of up to 400 million doses through 2022.

Hong Kong will ease some coronavirus restrictions, the government says, allowing swimming pools and beaches to open and shortening the quarantine period for some international arrivals to 14 days from 21. Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan says the local infections had come down considerably, giving the administration room to relax some measures.

Beaches and swimming pools would reopen from April 1, while religious gatherings could resume with maximum capacity of 30%. Cinemas and theme parks would be able to increase capacity to 75% from 50%.

Telangana adds 403 new COVID-19 cases, two deaths push toll to

Telangana recorded 403 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 3,06,742, while the death toll rose to 1,690 with two more fatalities, the state government said on Monday. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 146, followed by Medchal Malkajgiri and Rangareddy districts with 40 and 34 cases respectively, it said in a bulletin, providing details as of 8 PM on March 28. The bulletin said 313 patients recovered from the infection on March 28. The cumulative recovered cases stood at 3,00,469, while 4,583 were under treatment.

Delhi Police warns of strict action against those not following COVID protocols on Holi

The Delhi Police on Monday said patrolling has been increased and strict action will be taken against those who do not follow coronavirus guidelines issued in view of Holi. Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the national capital, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had on Tuesday ordered that there would be no public celebrations here during upcoming festivals such as Holi and Navaratri. Delhi reported 1,881 coronavirus cases on Sunday, the highest in around three-and-half months, while the positivity rate rose to 2.35 per cent, according to the health department.

Puducherry logs 125 new COVID-19 cases, death toll rises to 681 as one patient succumbs

Puducherry added 125 fresh coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours taking the overall tally in the union territory to 41,226, a top Health department official said on Monday. A 67-year old male patient succumbed to the virus at the government general hospital in Mahe pushing the toll to 681, Director of Department of Health and Family Welfare S Mohan Kumar said in a release. The deceased had coronary artery disease and diabetes as comorbidities, he added. Meanwhile, the overall COVID-19 tally went up to 41,226 with the addition of 125 new cases during the last 24 hours ending 10 AM Monday, he said.

IIT, Bhubaneswar campus "COVID-19 free": Director

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bhubaneswar claimed that its campus is completely ”COVID-19 free” though some coronavirus cases have been detected in the isolated quarantine centre. So far the campus has been COVID free except for 5 cases in September 2020 and now some in the isolated quarantine centre, IIT, Bhubaneswar, Director, Prof RRV Rajakumar said in a statement on Sunday.

The statement said IIT Bhubaneswar nurtures preservation of academic life despite the pandemic prevailing around by maintaining safety measures to the entire fraternity. It said the institute has invited students also to the campus to have hands-on experimentation with the practical classes, while the regular teaching is going through the online process. Read more.

UK on track for second vaccine doses despite supply concerns

Eight States account for 84.5% of daily new cases registered

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu & Chhattisgarh reported high number of COVID daily new cases. 84.5% of new cases are reported from these states. Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka & Chhattisgarh account for 80% of active cases: Govt

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray says lockdown needs to be considered

Maharashtra Chief Minister said that the COVID cases are rising because people are not following guidelines seriously that is why strict steps like lockdown are needed to be considered. At a meeting with senior health officials & COVID task force, CM Uddhav Thackeray instructed them to prepare for restrictions similar to lockdown if people continue to violate COVID-related rules.