1. The total number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 4,281 on Monday evening and the toll reached 111, the health ministry said. This was India’s largest single day spike – 704 new cases and 28 new deaths – confirmed in the last 24 hours.
  2. At least three states – Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra – hinted that the 21-day lockdown may have to be extended beyond April 15. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao said he will urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend the nationwide lockdown. He said: “We can revive the economy of the country and the state at a later stage. But we cannot bring back the lives of the people who could die in large numbers, if the lockdown is lifted.”
  3. All MPs, including Cabinet ministers, will take a salary cut of 30% for a year to support the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The president, vice president, and all governors will also give up part of their salaries.
  4. The Centre said over 25,500 people linked to the Tablighi Jamaat have been identified and quarantined by states. The Union health ministry said at least 1,445 patients had been traced to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation held in Delhi last month.
  5. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday praised the maturity of Indians for cooperating during the lockdown. In an address to his party workers on the outfit’s 40th foundation day, Modi said India took timely steps against the coronavirus since it understood the seriousness of the disease.
  6. The Air Quality Index in Delhi and its surrounding areas saw a decline as people burst crackers on Sunday night, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to citizens to light candles and lamps to show solidarity in India’s fight against the novel coronavirus.
  7. The Indian Council of Medical Research will start conducting rapid antibody-based blood test by Wednesday in areas reporting coronavirus clusters and hotspots showing high incidence of confirmed cases.
  8. The Central Zoos Authority put all zoos in India on alert after a tiger at Bronx Zoo in New York has tested positive for the coronavirus. This is the first case of an animal being found infected with the virus in the United States.
  9. The Uttarakhand Police has issued a warning to the members of Tablighi Jamaat to report to the authorities by today if they have attended any congregations recently, or face action under attempt to murder charges if any case of non-disclosure is found linked to any coronavirus case.
  10. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged governments to include the protection of women in their response to the deadly novel coronavirus pandemic, as reports of domestic violence surged globally in the wake of massive lockdowns to contain the spread of the disease.