Total number of COVID-19 cases in India surge past 2,900

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country breached the 2,900 mark on Saturday with 601 new cases. A total of 183 people have either recovered or discharged.

The surge in the number of cases that stands at 2,902 comes mainly on account of a large number of attendees of Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin in the national capital and their contacts testing positive for the coronavirus.

With 47 fresh cases of coronavirus being reported in the state, the total number of positive cases on Saturday rose to 537, according to Maharashtra Health Department.

Here are the top developments related to the coronavirus pandemic:

1) Out of the total cases of COVID-19 in the country, around 30 per cent are epidemiologically linked to Tablighi Jamaat cluster at Nizamuddin, the Centre has said.

2) Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a joint meeting of Empowered Groups constituted for planning and ensuring implementation of COVID-19 response activities in the country.

3) 74 COVID-19 positive cases reported in Tamil Nadu today out of which 73 had attended the Tableeghi Jamaat event at Markaz Nizamuddin, Delhi, said Beela Rajesh Tamil Nadu Health Secretary. There are 485 positive cases in Tamil Nadu out of which 422 cases are from one source, from where we are getting a large number of cases, she said.

4) Two more, who attended Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, have been found COVID-19 positive in Bharatpur. 21 people have tested positive in Rajasthan today out which 10 are linked to Tablighi Jamaat. Total cases stand at 200, according to the State Health Department

5) Six more COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in Bhopal, taking the total number of cases to 164 in Madhya Pradesh. A total of 115 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Indore till now.

6) The number of COVID-19 cases rose to 92 in Jammu and Kashmir, with 17 fresh cases being reported today. Out of the total cases, 86 are active -- 18 in Jammu, 68 in Kashmir. While two people succumbed to the disease, three others were cured/discharged, said Jammu and Kashmir Health Department.

7) In Delhi, there are only 40 COVID-19 positive cases due to local transmission out of 445 total cases. The other cases are due to foreign travel and Nizamuddin Markaz. This is something that makes me believe corona is not spreading here. It is under control, said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

8) With 15 new positive cases, the COVID-19 tally in Odisha on Saturday climbed to 20, said the State Health and Family Welfare Department.

9) 18 more COVID-19 cases reported in Haryana -- 13 in Palwal, one in Kaithal and two each in Gurugram and Bhiwani, taking the total number of active cases in the state to 48. 14 people have been cured or discharged from hospitals, said Haryana Health Department.

10) After a sudden spike in COVID-19 positive cases were reported in New Delhi, Lok Nayak Jay Prakash and GB Pant Hospital in the national capital will be converted into COVID-19 management centre from Monday onwards.

11) COVID-19 cases reached 144 in Karnataka including four deaths and 11 discharged/cured people. 16 new cases have been reported in the state today.

12) Six more COVID-19 positive cases -- 5 in Nainital and one in Haridwar -- reported in Uttarakhand today taking the total number of positive cases in the State to 22. Till now, 350 Tablighi Jamaat members have been put under quarantine in the state, said the State's Health Department.