The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in India crossed the 35,000-mark on Friday, while the death toll topped the 1,152-mark as well.

As of 9:30 AM on Saturday, the COVID-19 tally in India has reached 37,336 confirmed cases, which includes 26,167 active cases, 9,951 cured, discharged, or migrated patients and 1,218 deaths.

The COVID-19 tally in the United States has reached 11 lakh while the death toll due to the virus in the country has crossed 65,000, according to the Coronavirus Resource Center at the Baltimore-based John Hopkins University.

According to data available at 8 AM, the US has recorded as many as 1,103,461 confirmed cases of COVID-19 while the death toll has mounted to 65,776. As many as 1,61,563 people have recovered from the virus infection till now.

The Central Railway has requested people not to unnecessarily come to railway stations as only the passengers who have been permitted to travel by the state government would be allowed to board trains. This is aimed at discouraging crowds to cut the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in India, which is spreading like wildfire.

The Centre on Friday said it will allow the opening of liquor stores and paan shops in the green zones during the third phase of the lockdown, beginning May 4.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MHA) has extended the nationwide lockdown for two weeks from May 4 and issued a fresh set of guidelines for the same.

The Centre on Friday further extended the nationwide lockdown for two weeks beyond May 3, the last day of the current phase of the restrictions imposed to check the spread of novel coronavirus.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an Order under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 to further extend the Lockdown for a further period of two weeks, a government press release said.

While India continues to deal with the coronavirus pandemic that affected over 35,000 people across the country and killed over 1100, an MLA in Rajasthan have written to chief minister Ashok Gehlot demanding the opening of liquor shops.

The MLA has claimed that drinking alcohol will kill the coronavirus.

Indian Railways on Friday ran a special train to carry stranded migrant from Telangana to Jharkhand amid coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown.

According to a statement issued by the Indian Railways, this special train is carrying about 1,200 stranded migrants from Lingampally in Telangana to Hatia in Jharkhand. This would be the first train to run since the lockdown began.

The Election Commission (EC) has allowed conducting elections to the nine Maharashtra Legislative Council seats. The polls will be held on May 21.

All elections were suspended by the poll watchdog in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, even before the nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24. The process to fill nine vacant seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council was also withheld due to the pandemic.

Hindustan Unilever (HUL), the country’s largest consumer goods company, on Thursday reported a 7 per cent decline in volumes for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 (Q4FY20), faring even worse than the demonetisation quarter (October-December 2016), when the fall was 4 per cent.

The Street had factored in a drop of 2-4 per cent in Q4 volume growth on account of the Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown.

A day after the Centre issued guidelines allowing inter-state movement of stranded people across the country due to the lockdown, the Maharashtra government has set up a control room to facilitate migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists and students in the state who want to go back to their home.

An office has been set up under director of Maharashtra's Disaster Management Authority Abhay Yawalkar. Two contact numbers - 022- 22027990, 022-22023039 - have been released by the state for people who want to see the help.

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