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

India reported 1684 new cases in 24 hours. In the same span, 481 people recovered taking the country's recovery rate to 20.57%

There are total 15 districts in the country which have not reported any fresh cases since 28 days while 80 districts with no fresh cases in 14 days

Total 10 Inter-ministrial Teams Across The Country: Home Ministry

Four more inter-ministrial teams will join the existing six teams that were sent to tackle the COVID-19 situation. These four are going to be sent to Ahmedabad, Surat, Hyderabad and Chennai. 

The Home Ministry shared feedback received from two of the six pre-existing teams. Indore has 171 with 20 critical containment zones. 

The Mumbai team surveyed the slums of Dharavi, Govandi, and Wadala. In Dharavi, portable toilets will be set up at various spaces in order to avoid the extra utilisation of community toilets within the area. 

There is no provision in the advisory issued on 15th April stating that if employees are found to have tested positive, the CEO of the factories will be held responsible: Home Ministry

Chardham Set To Open Without Pilgrims

The Chardham temples are set to reopen after the winter closure but without any pilgrims. The opening ceremony in Uttarakhand is normally full of pomp except this year. 

Encouraging results from plasma therapy: Delhi CM

Delhi's CM Arvind Kejriwal has said that 4 patients were administered plasma therapy in Delhi's Lok Nayak Hospital, and this shown encouraging results. Kejriwal has encouraged people who have recovered to step forward and to donate plasma, assuring them of their safety.

US Congress approves $484 billion relief package

The US House of Representatives approved a coronavirus relief package worth $484 billion with a vote of 388-5. The package was approved unanimously by the Senate, and it will now go to the White House for President Donald Trump's approval. The package provides respite through federal loans to small businesses and to hospitals.

Franklin Templeton MFs shutters 6 debts funds

Mutual fund house Franklin Templeton has shut 6 debt based mutual funds in India, citing redemption pressures arising due to COVID-19. Assets worth ₹28,000 crores have been impacted. Investors will get staggered repayments as and when securities mature.

Maharashtra Minister Tests Positive

Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad has tested positive for COVID-19 after testing negative earlier on April 13. 

The Minister was under home quarantined along with 15 members of his family for a week as some of his security staff tested had positive for the novel coronavirus. It is suspected that the MLA came in contact with the virus after meeting a police officer, who later tested positive.

Remdisivir Drug Fails First Trial, Company Disputes Results

Gilead Sciences Inc’s experimental coronavirus drug failed its first randomised clinical trial, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing draft documents published accidentally by the World Health Organization.

The Chinese trial showed the antiviral remdesivir did not improve patients' condition or reduce the pathogen's presence in the bloodstream. The drugmaker said the findings were inconclusive because the study was terminated early.

Remdesivir, which previously failed as a treatment for Ebola, is being tried against Covid-19 because it is designed to disable the mechanism by which certain viruses, including the new coronavirus, make copies of themselves and potentially overwhelm their host’s immune system.

Trump Suggests UV Light And Disinfectant As Treatment, Receives Flak

In a press briefing with the White House COVID-19 task force on Thursday, American President Donald Trump suggested that the health officials look at UV light and disinfectant as plausible treatment alternatives to tackle COVID-19. 

Trump made these statements after an official presented findings that indicated that the virus can be weakened by sunlight and heat as well as bleach and isopropyl alcohol could kill the virus too. 

Trump recommended irradiating patients' with UV light and also injecting them with disinfectants to test whether it aids in treatment. Doctors at the briefing politely dismissed this idea.

The Centres For Diseases Control and Prevention as well as the USA Food and Drug Administration has adviced people not ingest disinfectants.