COVID-19: Total cases 469; Rate of increase 'relatively stable', says govt

COVID-19 has claimed four lives and there are 43 fresh cases of the infection reported in last 24 hours, taking the tally to 649, Union health ministry said on Thursday, but asserted that the rate of increase in the positive cases was "relatively stable" in India.

The Union health ministry officials also said India was at the second stage as there is still no "hard evidence" to say that there has been community transmission of the fast-spreading coronavirus, remarks which may provide anxious citizens with much needed assurance and hope.

As the virus kept extending its footprint, the Central and state governments unleashed measures on a war-footing. While the Union finance ministry unveiled a Rs 1.70 lakh crore economic package involving free foodgrain and cooking gas to poor for the next three months, one-time doles to women and poor senior citizens among other benefits, and the health ministry announced that 17 states have started to earmark hospitals for dedicated treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Addressing a media briefing on the COVID-19 situation, health ministry joint secretary Lav Agarwal said,"there is still no hard evidence to say there has been community transmission of coronavirus in India and assured that the country was geared to tackle the coronavirus challenge.

He said,"forty-two fresh coronavirus cases and four deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported in the last 24 hours. Total number of cases stands at 649."