The Centre on Monday issued guidelines on the lifting of restrictions under “Unlock 2”. According to the new guidelines, from July 1, night curfew timings will be shortened to 10 pm to 5 am, and air and rail services will be extended.

The Tamil Nadu government extended lockdown in the state till July 31. A complete lockdown will remain in place till July 5 in Madurai and Greater Chennai Police limits, including Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Thiruvalluvar districts.

The Maharashtra government extended lockdown measures till July 31. Nagaland also announced that the lockdown in the state will be extended with necessary relaxations till July 15.

Meanwhile, India reported 19,459 new coronavirus cases and 380 deaths, according to the figures from the health ministry. With this, the country’s tally rose to 5,48,318 and toll reached 16,475. The Centre said the recovery rate has improved to 58.67%.

The global coronavirus tally has crossed the one crore-mark, with 1,01,14,726 cases. The toll has risen to 5.01 lakh, according to the Johns Hopkins University. More than 51 lakh people have recovered.

The national helpline number for the coronavirus is 011-23978046, and a toll-free number 1075.

These are the helpline numbers for states and the Union Territories.


10.23 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the country at 4 pm on Tuesday, his office announces.

10.10 pm: The Centre announces guidelines for lifting of restrictions under “Unlock-2” that will be implemented till July 31, reports ANI.

10.04 pm: Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon, who was hospitalised in Lucknow earlier in June, with breathing problems and fever, was put on critical care ventilator support today, a senior doctor said, according to PTI.

9.40 pm: Door-to-door survey will be done first in containment zones on priority basis by July 6, according to ANI. This will be followed by door-to-door survey in entire Delhi.

9.33 pm: Delhi records 2,084 new coronavirus patients and 57 deaths today, reports ANI. The tally rises to 85,161, of which 26,246 people are being treated, 56,235 people have recovered and 2,680 patients have died.

8.50 pm: Lockdown has been extended in Tamil Nadu government till July 31, reports ANI. Complete lockdown to remain in place till July 5 in Madurai and Greater Chennai Police limits, including Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Thiruvalluvar districts.

8.30 pm: Medical device maker Danaher Corp says its blood test for coronavirus has received emergency use clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration, reports Reuters.

8.27 pm: Gujarat reports highest single-day rise of 626 cases, taking tally to 32,023, according to PTI. Meanwhile, the toll has risen to 1,828 with 19 new deaths.

8.22 pm: Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, says it would spend $500 million on one-time bonuses for its front-line employees and partners working amid the coronavirus crisis, reports Reuters.

8.15 pm: West Bengal reports 624 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the total number of cases in the state to 17,907, according to ANI. The toll stands at 653.

8.08 pm: Nagaland records 36 new coronavirus cases, taking the state’s tally to 451. State Health Minister S Pangnyu Phom says 18 new cases were reported from Jakhama Army Camp quarantine centre in Kohima district, 17 from Tuensang district and one from Peren district.

8.05 pm: The next phase of the coronavirus lockdown in India is likely to focus on containment zones, reports NDTV. “States that have seen a major spike in cases are opting for tightening of rules,” a senior home ministry official tells the news channel.

8 pm: North Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Jai Prakash says the bed capacity at the civic body-run Hindu Rao Hospital will be increased to 200 in a phased manner, reports PTI. The hospital was recently converted to treat coronavirus patients.

7.52 pm: The Odisha government allows home delivery of Out Still liquor and ENA based country liquor between 7 am to 6 pm, reports ANI. However, this is not permitted in containment zones.

7.45 pm: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has directed private hospitals and nursing homes in Bengaluru to keep an additional 2,500 beds for treatment of coronavirus patients, reports PTI. He also urges people not to panic. “If you compare Bengaluru with Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, we have toiled beyond our strength to successfully contain the coronavirus,” he adds.

7.37 pm: Maharashtra reports 5,257 new coronavirus cases and 181 deaths, reports News18. The state now has 1,69,883 total infections and the toll has risen to 7,610. Meanwhile, Mumbai records 1,226 new cases and 92 deaths, taking the total in the city to 76,765 cases with 4,463 deaths.

7.35 pm: The Indian Railways has said that there is no demand for special Shramik trains to carry migrant workers to their home states, reports PTI. However, trains will be operated if more states demand.

7.27 pm: More new cases in states:

  • Uttarakhand: Eight new cases, total rises to 2,831.
  • Punjab: 202 new cases, total rises to 5,418.

7.22 pm: The Nagaland government has extended lockdown in the state till July 15 to rein in the coronavirus pandemic, reports PTI.

7.17 pm: The Delhi Police has issued over 500 challans today for not wearing face masks and violating physical distancing norms amid the coronavirus crisis, reports PTI.

7.12 pm: The Uttar Pradesh government is mapping skills of migrant workers who have returned to the state during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, says state Cabinet minister Satish Mahana. He adds that the government is working to provide them suitable employment opportunities.

7.07 pm: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh says the Kartarpur corridor should open for pilgrims, with adherence to the physical distancing guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic, reports PTI.

7 pm: Mumbai’s Dharavi area records 17 new coronavirus cases and one death, according to ANI. The most crowded slum has been successful in flattening the curve of new infections. It now has 2,262 total cases and toll stands at 82.

6.58 pm: Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka says the state government may announce strict measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic after July 7, reports Deccan Herald.

6.52 pm: Four Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel test positive for the coronavirus, reports ANI.

6.46 pm: The Lucknow District Court in Uttar Pradesh will be closed for two days after a person tested positive for the coronavirus, reports ANI. The court will reopen after sanitisation activities are undertaken.

6.42 pm: The National Humans Rights Commission has made the following recommendations to the government-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital for improving overall management at the dedicated coronavirus facility.

  • The quality of food to be provided should be monitored by dietician and patients should be allowed to be in touch with their family through mobile phones.
  • The list of oxygen-enabled ambulances be put on Delhi government website and charges of the ambulances should be monitored.
  • The hospital should provide psychological counselling to medical and paramedical staff on coronavirus duty.
  • For augmenting man power, services of final year MBBS students can also be availed appropriately. The retired medical and paramedical staff in sound health can also be roped in.

6.18 pm: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan says the state has recorded 121 new cases today, reports ANI. The total number of cases now stands at 4,311.

6.06 pm: Tamil Nadu reports a record 3,949 new coronavirus cases, taking its total count to 86,224. Of these, 2,167 cases are from Chennai. With 62 deaths, the toll has risen to 1,141 in the state.

5.58 pm: The West Bengal government is preparing a mobile app to store information about migrant labourers and their families who have returned to the state during the lockdown period, reports PTI.

“The data collection process is in the final stage of completion,” says state Labour Minister Moloy Ghatak. “The information will be fed to the app. Once that is concluded, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate it.”

5.51 pm: The Odisha government has received the first consignment of remdesivir and favipiravir medicines for the treatment of critical coronavirus patients in the state, reports PTI.

5.47 pm: The Delhi High Court has asked the government to submit a detailed status report in a petition seeking a direction to be issued to Tihar Central Prison for video conferencing facility to help prisoners get in touch with their lawyers, reports PTI. All legal consultations have been suspended since March 25 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

5.42 pm: The Kolkata Metro authorities have agreed to the West Bengal government’s proposal to operate services for passengers involved in essential activities, reports News18.

5.35 pm: The Delhi government says it is “preposterous” and “unfortunate” to move a contempt petition against it over managing of bodies at a time when it is facing manpower shortage to tackle the pandemic, reports PTI. The submission was made before the Delhi High Court.

5.32 pm: Nepal records 475 new coronavirus cases, taking the country’s tally to 13,248, according to PTI.

5.25 pm: Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at the World Health Organization, says lockdown alone is not the solution to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, adding that “we cannot be under lockdown forever”, reports PTI.

5.18 pm: The West Bengal chief minister urges people to donate money for the state’s coronavirus relief fund, reports News18. “I assure that the money will only be spent in public purpose with full transparency,” she says. “The entire receipt and spendings from this fund will be audited.”

5.12 pm: Mamata Banerjee announces “Covid Warriors Club”, reports News18. This will comprise of those who have recovered from the infection to help those undergoing treatment. Sixty people have already enrolled in Berhampore and Murshidabad and it is likely to be introduced in other districts, including Kolkata as well. An allowance will be provided to the volunteers by the state government.

5.05 pm: Banerjee says West Bengal has managed the migrant crisis, reports News18. “Our chief secretary has requested the Centre to stop the running of long-distance trains to Bengal,” she adds. “We have almost managed the migrant workers crisis. We have requested trains from five Covid hotspots to be suspended for the time being.”

5 pm: To honour frontline workers tackling the coronavirus pandemic, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has decided to declare July 1 as state holiday.

4.58 pm: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee says the state government is introducing telemedicine services from July 1 to enable patients to avail medical consultation via telephone amid the restrictions imposed to contain the coronavirus, reports News18.

4.55 pm: The Maharashtra government has advised that work from home should be followed as far as possible after extending the lockdown till July 31. An order issued by Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta says wearing face masks, maintaining physical distancing guidelines, restricted gatherings, and other measures shall continue to prevail.

Read here: Maharashtra extends lockdown till July 31 amid rising number of cases

4.46 pm: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has tested negative for the coronavirus for the second time, reports News18. The first test was conducted on June 22, while the second test was done on Sunday.

4.41 pm: Prabhdeep Kaur, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Epidemiology, says Tamil Nadu government will take a decision on extension of lockdown based on the district level situation. “Expert group recommended that analysis of various epidemiological indicators and field situation might be considered while making the decision,” she tweets.

4.35 pm: The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre, Delhi government and the police to reply to a petition by several foreign nationals, who attended the Tablighi Jamaat gathering amid the lockdown, seeking permission to add three more places of alternate accommodation for them, reports PTI.

4.32 pm: The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to clarify if the cancellation of visas of foreigners who attended the Tablighi Jamaat meeting in Delhi was a blanket directive or if care was taken to hear and decide the merits of each case individually, reports The Hindu.

The Tablighi Jamaat congregation has been accused of being responsible for causing thousands of coronavirus infections in the country. Hundreds of foreigners had attended the event in early March.

4.18 pm: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath has directed officers to increase coronavirus testing facilities in the state, reports PTI. “Available TrueNat and rapid antigen machines should be operated at full capacity for doing maximum tests in the state,” an official release said quoting the chief minister says.

4.14 pm: Tokyo records 58 new cases of coronavirus infection, according to Reuters. The Japanese capital had reported 60 cases on Sunday, which was the highest daily tally since early May.

4.10 pm: Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij says the state will start convalescent plasma therapy for treatment of coronavirus patients in all its medical colleges after receiving approval from Indian Council of Medical Research.

4.04 pm: The Tamil Nadu medical expert committee says they have not recommended lockdown extension in the state, citing socio-economic problems, reports News18. They have suggested strict curbs in areas where the infection rate is high.

4 pm: All government offices in Maharashtra, except health, disaster management and police, to function with 15% strength or 15 persons whichever is higher, reports ANI. All private offices can operate up to 10% strength or 10 people.

3.53 pm: Uttar Pradesh reports 685 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, according to ANI. The state has 6,650 active cases now and 672 patients have died so far.

3.42 pm: “Considering the local conditions, concerned district collector and commissioners of the municipal corporations in the state may enforce certain measures and necessary restrictions in specified local areas on the permitted non-essential activities and movement of persons to contain the spread of the epidemic,” says Maharashtra government in its order.

3.37 pm: The Telangana government has decided to intensify coronavirus testing from Tuesday, reports The Hindu. The state has been criticised for abysmally low testing rates.

“The chief minister stressed the need for strict measures to check the spread of the virus,” says Health Minister Eatala Rajender. “Reimposing lockdown is a big decision and the State Cabinet will meet soon in this regard.”

3.30 pm: Bihar reports 282 new coronavirus cases, taking the state’s total count to 9,506.

3.22 pm: The Maharashtra government has extended lockdown till July 31, reports NDTV.

3.15 pm: A Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Rewa district in Madhya Pradesh has tested positive for the coronavirus, says Chief Medical Health Officer RS Pandey, according to PTI. Three legislators, two from the BJP and one from the Congress, have also contracted the infection.

3.08 pm: Thailand will allow pubs, bars and karaoke venues to re-open on Wednesday as long as they follow safety guidelines, reports Reuters. Foreigners with work permits, residency and families in the country will also be allowed to enter, but will be subject to a 14-day quarantine.

3.03 pm: In Gujarat’s Ahmedabad city, seven new micro-containment zones have been added to the 37 existing ones, reports PTI. The new micro containment zones are in Chandlodia, Chandkheda, Bodakdev, Vasna, Sabarmati, Naranpura and Sarkhej localities, covering 270 houses with 1,080 residents.

2.55 pm: According to a report from the United Kingdom’s Covid Trauma Response Working Group, a “significant proportion” of people who were hospitalised for coronavirus “will go on to develop symptoms” of post-traumatic stress disorder. Dr Michael Bloomfield, a trauma expert on the group’s panel, says PTSD screening should be “mandatory” for all those who have been discharged, reports CNN.

2.51 pm: The Karnataka government issues guidelines to conduct online classes, according to ANI.

  • 30 minutes a week for kindergarten.
  • 30 to 45 minutes divided in two periods for three alternate days a week for Classes 1 to 5.
  • 30 to 45 minutes divided in two periods for five days a week for Classes 5 to 8.  
  • 30 to 45 mins divided into 4 periods for five days a week for Classes 9 to 10.  

2.36 pm: At least 50 inmates of Akola District Prison have tested positive for the coronavirus, taking the total number of positive cases among prison inmates in Maharashtra to 360, reports The Indian Express.

2.26 pm: The Delhi High Court and subordinate courts will continue their restrictive functioning till July 15 due to the coronavirus crisis.

2.22 pm: People who are placed under institutional quarantine in Odisha are being given Rs 2,000 on completion of their mandatory time, reports ANI. Ranjan Kumar Das, district collectorate of Jajpur, says this was an incentive started by the state government to encourage those who are returning from outside to undergo quarantine.

2.18 pm: Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says world economy as well as Indian economy is going through a challenging time due to the coronavirus pandemic, reports ANI. “Energy industry is going through a tough time,” he adds. “Demand for petrol went down by 70 to 80% in April-May months in the country which directly impacted economy.”

2.15 pm: The number of coronavirus cases in Odisha has risen to 6,859 after 245 people, including two National Disaster Response Force personnel, tested positive for the infection, reports PTI. Meanwhile, the toll stands at 23 with two new fatalities.

2.08 pm: Mumbai witnesses heavy traffic jams after the police created multiple checkpoints to strictly enforce the 2-km travel restriction applicable for all residents, except people going to office, reports NDTV.

2 pm: Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who is being treated for the coronavirus, has pledged plasma, saying it is “the most efficacious remedy available”.

1.57 pm: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray launches “Project Platina” – a plasma therapy trail.

“The PLATINA trial will be world’s largest trial and hence will give robust data regarding role of convalescent plasma in treatment of Covid-19 patients, thereby helping governments to issue guidelines in the management of the pandemic,” says a tweet from the chief minister’s office. “This trial will help formulate definite treatment guidelines for the entire country in managing serious Covid patients and thus be a milestone in turning a page in this pandemic.”

Thackeray has approved Rs 16.65 crore from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the project.

1.48 pm: British Labour Party leader Keir Starmer says that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been “asleep at the wheel” during the coronavirus crisis, adding that he had been far too slow to take major decisions, reports Reuters.

1.45 pm: Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and 51 of his staff working at the Assembly and residence have tested negative for the coronavirus, reports The Hindu. All of them were tested after a staff working at his office and a gunman’s father tested positive.

1.41 pm: Andhra Pradesh reports 793 new cases and 11 deaths in the last 24 hours. With this, the state now has 13,891 cases and the toll has risen to 180.

1.36 pm: Telangana Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali has tested positive for the coronavirus and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital, reports The Indian Express.

1.32 pm: The health ministry says India has 1,047 diagnostic labs for coronavirus testing. “This includes 760 in the government sector and 287 private labs,” it adds. “The 11 labs that have been inducted in the last 24 hours are all operated by the government.”

1.29 pm: The Centre says India’s recovery rate has improved to 58.67%. “The graded, pre-emptive and pro-active steps taken by government of India along with the states/Union Territories for prevention, containment and management of Covid-19 continue to show encouraging results,” says the health ministry in a press release. “The gap between recoveries and active cases is 1,11,602 as of today. So far, as many as 3,21,722 patients have been cured of Covid-19.”

1.26 pm: China’s military can now use a coronavirus vaccine developed by its research unit and CanSino Biologics after clinical trials proved it was safe, reports Reuters. The Ad5-nCoV is one of the eight vaccine candidates being developed by Chinese companies.

1.20 pm: Puducherry reports 42 new coronavirus cases, taking the total to 690, according to PTI.

1.17 pm: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh says he will not let the coronavirus pandemic spread in his state, reports ANI. “If there will be any chance of the spread of Covid-19 infection in my state, I will act firmly,” he adds. “I have to do my best.”

1.15 pm: “Boosting Make in India exports, Personal Protection Equipment medical coveralls for Covid-19 have been allowed with a monthly export quota of 50 lakh,” says Union minister Piyush Goyal.

1.11 pm: The Supreme Court says chartered accountancy aspirants taking exams between July 29 and August 16 should have the option to “opt-out”, reports LiveLaw. The court adds that the coronavirus situation is not “static” or “dynamic”.

12.46 pm: Tripura reported 12 new coronavirus cases on Sunday.

12.31 pm: Karnataka Education Minister S Suresh Kumar says the decision to reopen schools in the state will be made after July 5, ANI reports.

12.13 pm: Kejriwal announces Rs 1 crore for the family of Dr Aseem Gupta, who died of the coronavirus.

12.07 pm: Kejriwal says the Delhi government will start a plasma bank for coronavirus patients. The plasma bank will be set up at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences and become operational in two days, Kejriwal adds.

12.04 pm: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal briefs media on the coronavirus.

12.00 pm: Madhya Pradesh Health Minister Narottam Mishra says the state has 25,000 beds and over 2,500 active coronavirus cases, ANI reports.

11.53 am: Germany records 262 new cases and four deaths on Monday, Reuters reports. The country’s tally rises to 1,93,761 and the toll reaches 8,961.

11.49 am: Bangladesh Defence Secretary Abdullah Al Mohsin Chowdhury dies of the coronavirus, ANI reports, quoting local media.

11.47 am: Rajasthan reports 121 new coronavirus cases and three deaths on Monday. The state’s tally rises to 17,392 and the toll reaches 402.

11.45 am: Beijing recorded seven new coronavirus cases on Sunday, Reuters reports.

11.40 am: Kerala Technical University postpones all exams which were scheduled to begin from July 1, according to ANI.

11.37 am: Uttarakhand will begin the Chardham Yatra from July 1, ANI reports. Pilgrims from outside the state will not be allowed.

11.31 am: Shortly before his death, a coronavirus patient at the Government Chest Hospital in Hyderabad recorded a video message in which he accused doctors of removing his ventilator support.

Read here: ‘Can’t breathe, daddy’: Hyderabad man says doctors removed ventilator in video taken before he dies

11.22 am: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami holds a meeting with medical experts to discuss the coronavirus crisis.

11.11 am: The Mumbai Police urges residents not to travel beyond a two-km radius of their homes for the purpose of exercise or visiting shops and salons, The Hindu reports. “Movement beyond two km is permitted only for attending office or medical emergencies,” an unidentified police official tells the newspaper.

11.04 am: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal offers his condolences to the family of a senior doctor at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital who died of the coronavirus. “Dr Aseem Gupta, a senior doctor of LNJP Hospital, succumbed to Covid yesterday [Sunday],” he tweets. “He was known for going out of his way to serve his patients. We have lost a very valuable fighter. Delhi salutes his spirit and sacrifice.”

10.57 am: Odisha’s tally of coronavirus cases rises to 6,859 after 245 more infections were reported in the last 24 hours, ANI reports, quoting the state health department. Of these, 4,743 people have recovered so far and the toll is 21.

10.54 am: The Uttar Pradesh police books 34 traders were booked in Shamli district for opening their shops in violation of the weekly lockdown restrictions imposed to combat the coronavirus, PTI reports.

10.49 am: A senior doctor at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital in Delhi dies after he tested positive for the coronavirus, NDTV reports. Doctor Aseem Gupta was an anaesthesia specialist at the hospital, which is a designated Covid-19 facility.

10.47 am: A 72-year-old man, who went missing from the Indira Gandhi International airport in Delhi upon his arrival from Kazakhstan, was traced to Ghaziabad and sent to home quarantine for 14 days, PTI reports. He had allegedly run away to evade Covid-19 screening.

10.16 am: Nagaland reports 19 new cases of the coronavirus on Monday, taking the total tally of infections in the state to 434, ANI quotes Health Minister S Pangnyu Phom as saying. Of these, 164 people have recovered and no deaths were reported so far.

9.53 am: As many as 21 Border Security Force personnel tested positive for the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, ANI reports.

9.52 am: The number of coronavirus cases in Bengaluru doubled from 1,556 on June 23 to 3,419 on June 28, ANI quotes state minister Dr Sudhakar K as saying. The city makes up for 25.92% of the total caseload of Karnataka, he adds.

9.24 am: India reports 19,459 new cases and 380 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. With this, the country’s total tally rises to 5,48,318 and toll stands at 16,475.

8.57 am: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao says medical experts have recommended that Hyderabad be placed in lockdown once again. “But re-imposition of lockdown will be a very major decision,” NDTV quotes a statement from the Rao’s office as saying. “Government machinery and people should be made ready for this.”

A decision regarding a lockdown in Hyderabad will be made in the next three to four days. The city has more than 10,000 cases now.

8.50 am: The West Bengal government decides to come out with a new sweet to boost immunity, reports Hindustan Times. The type of sandesh, a famous Bengali sweet, will be made with special honey from the Sunderbans to increase immunity.

8.46 am: Delhi increases the number of containment zones by over a 100 to 417. On Sunday, the Capital reported 2,889 new cases of Covid-19. taking the total to more than 83,000, reports News18.

7.59 am: The US’ health secretary says the window to effectively manage the coronavirus in the country is closing, reports The Guardian. The US now has 1.25 lakh deaths and more than 25 lakh cases. However, the toll is believed to be much higher than numbers compiled by the government.

“This is a very serious situation,” Health Secretary Alex Azar says, adding that the US is seeing a huge rise in cases among people under the age of 35. “We have to act, and people as individuals have to act responsibly. We need to social distance, we need to wear our face coverings.”

7.54 am: Brazil has more than 30,000 new cases in the last 24 hours, reports The Guardian. The country has registered 13,44,143 total confirmed cases and 57,622 deaths after 30,476 more cases were reported on Sunday.

7.50 am: Eighty-four new cases are reported in Chhattisgarh, taking the state’s total to 2,694, while Assam has 327 new cases of the virus, making its total 7,492.

7.40 am: Manipur extends its lockdown by two weeks. Maharashtra and Telangana will follow suit, reports The Times of India.

7.35 am: Religious places in rural parts of Rajasthan will be open from July 1, ANI reports.

7.30 am: The worldwide toll due to the virus exceeds half a million, or 5 lakh, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins.

7.10 am: Here are the top updates from Sunday:

  1. Maharashtra once again reported its highest single-day increase with 5,493 fresh cases and 156 deaths. Tamil Nadu recorded 3,940 new cases and 54 deaths, while Delhi reported 2,889 new infections.
  2. The Supreme Court dismissed a plea to cancel the remaining examinations for Class 10 students in Rajasthan. The exams will be held as scheduled on June 29 and June 30.
  3. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that the state government will not lift the lockdown imposed to .combat the coronavirus after June 30. However, the chief minister said that restrictions will continue to be eased slowly, and asked people to follow rules.
  4. The United States Centers for Disease Control has added three new symptoms of the coronavirus, taking the total number of symptoms up to 12. The new symptoms are congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhoea. The symptoms were added on May 13, but have been reported only now.
  5. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Centre decided to step in to handle the coronavirus situation in Delhi, after Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s remark that the national Capital will have 5.5 lakh cases by July 31. Shah said in an interview that there was no doubt that the Aam Aadmi Party-led government in Delhi was doing its best to combat the pandemic.
  6. All 77 districts in Nepal have now reported incidences of the disease. There were 463 new infections between Saturday and Sunday evening, and the country’s tally rose to 12,772.
  7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in “Mann Ki Baat” that the country needs to be more careful during the “Unlock” phases than the lockdown phases. “I appeal to the people to not be careless,” he said. “Please wear masks and observe physical distancing guidelines.”