Coronavirus LIVE Update: India's Cases Rise To 59,92,532; 94,503 Dead

DCGI Permits Convalescent Plasma Therapy For COVID-19 Patients

The Drug Controller General of India has permitted the ICMR for initiating a clinical trial of convalescent plasma therapy on COVID-19 patients. 

In this therapy, blood is drawn from a person who has recovered from the disease and the serum is separated and screened for virus-neutralising antibodies. These antibodies are then inserted in infected individuals to build their immunity. 

Many Countries To Follow China's Revision: WHO

The World Health Organization has said that many countries would likely follow China in revising up their death tolls once they start getting the coronavirus crisis under control.

Rajasthan Death Toll Reaches 19

Rajasthan reported two new deaths to take the death toll in the state to 19. 

Two deaths have been reported in Jaipur. Both the patients had additional health problems. As many as 41 new cases have come up today, including 27 in Bharatpur," Additional Chief Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said.

26 Naval Personnel Test Positive In Mumbai

A total of 26 serving personnel have been tested positive for COVID -19 within naval premises at Mumbai. This number includes 26 sailors of INS Angre, a shore establishment at Mumbai. This is the first major outbreak in the armed forces

Most of these are *asymptomatic* and have been traced to a single sailor who was tested positive on 07 Apr 20. They all reside in the same accommodation block at INS Angre

India to receive around 2 lakh PPE kits from Singapore 

Maharashtra Crosses 200 Deaths

India's total cases and deaths are 14,378 and 420 respectively after the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reported 543 new cases and 28 new updates on April 18, 2020. 

Maharashtra reported 7 new deaths and the state's death toll is now 201. Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh also reported additional deaths. 

First Positive Result Of Pool Testing In Andaman and Nicobar

A government official is said to have tested positive for COVID-19 in Andaman and Nicobar in a round of pooled testing. This takes the number of cases on the island to 12. 

448 New Cases, 15 New Deaths

In its evening update, India has reported 448 new cases bringing the total number of cases to 13,835 and 15 new deaths owing which the total number of deaths are now 452. 

Rajasthan reported 8 new deaths while other deaths were reported in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. 

Five states have more than 1000 positive cases of COVID-19. Over 1767 people have recovered from COVID-19. 

India now has 1,919 dedicated COVID-19 hospitals with 1 lakh 73 thousand Isolation beds and 21,800 ICU beds to tackle COVID-19. 

THere are currently 183 government hospitals and 80 private hospitals conducting testing in the country. 

India's Doubling Rate Is 6.2

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India's case doubling rate is now 6.2 days and is slower than the earlier 3 days. 

In 19 states including Kerala, UP, Assam, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Puducherry among many other states have a doubling rate slower than the national average.