LIVE: Italy adds 25,735 fresh Covid-19 cases, 386 more deaths

The national capital on Friday added 716 new Covid-19 cases and four more deaths in the last 24 hours. Friday's case count has been the highest since the beginning of this year. The caseload has now climbed to 6,46,348 with 6,32,230 recoveries and 10,953 deaths, according to the Delhi health department's bulletin.

Italy on Friday reported 25,735 new Covid disease cases and 386 related deaths, according to the health ministry adding 364,822 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.

Amid the rising cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the Madhya Pradesh government on Friday announced a one-day lockdown in three cities - Indore, Bhopal and Jabalpur - on March 21, news agency ANI reported. Read more

Uttar Pradesh on Friday registered 393 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and four more deaths- pushing the caseload and death toll to 5,95,382 and 8757 respectively, according to the state health department's bulletin.

Mumbai reports 3,062 new Covid-19 cases, highest since pandemic began, taking caseload to 3,55,897. The death toll reaches 11,565 with 10 new fatalities

Maharashtra reported 25,681 new coronavirus infections, taking the state's tally to 24,22,021. The death toll, after 70 fresh fatalities stands at 53,208.

Gujarat reported 1415 new coronavirus infections, taking the state's tally to 2,83,864. The death toll after four fresh fatalities stands at 4,437.

Madhya Pradesh reported 1140 new coronavirus infections, taking the state's tally to 2,73,097. The death toll after seven new fatalities stands at 3901.

Karnataka reported 1587 new coronavirus infections, taking the state's tally to 9,66,689. The death toll after 10 new fatalities stands at 12,425.

Punjab reported 2490 new coronavirus infections, taking the state's tally to 2,07,888. The death toll after 38 fresh fatalities stands at 6242.

Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh has asked private and public hospitals to provide hassle-free Covid-19 vaccination services for eight hours a day until March 31.

Kerala reported 1984 new coronavirus infections, taking the state's active case tally to 25,158. 1965 new recoveries were also recorded.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray urged people to get vaccinated as coronavirus infections in the state keeps surging. He also said strict measures would be taken if rules were not followed in the future.

Amritsar Dy Commissioner said that nine districts will have night curfew during 9pm-5am. It was being done as these districts had large number of cases and numbers are higher in the second surge. So keeping in mind the situation, timings were changed. Amritsar will also have night curfew from 9 pm-5am.

District administration along with city police, city corporation & zilla Panchayat launched a mask awareness campaign in Kalaburagi. “Covid cases are rapidly increasing, especially in last 2 weeks. All have to wear a mask & maintain social distancing," said Kalaburagi Dy Commissioner.

Vaccination centres in the national capital will operate till 9pm starting March 22 and adequate manpower would be deployed, as per the Delhi government.

Andhra Pradesh reported 246 new coronavirus infections, taking the state's tally to 8,92,986. The death toll after one fresh fatality stands at 7187.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar met district deputy commissioners and other senior officers over the Covid situation in the state. He said that that strict action would be taken against those not wearing mask. Testing anjd contact tracing were to be emphasized upon and Covid norms were to be followed in the festive season.

The Philippines logged 7,103 new corobavirus infections, the highest single day rise since the outbreak, taking the country's tally to 648,066. The death toll after 13 new fatalities stands at 12,900.

The Maharashtra government issued new measures to tackle the Covid spread in the state until March 31. Drama theatres and auditoriums would operate with 50% capacity and entry would be denied without masks. All private offices would also function at 50% capacity.

Kazakhstan has discovered Covid-19 infections in its biggest city, Almaty, showing a probable mutation, the Central Asian nation's healthcare ministry said on Friday.

Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said that it was decided at a CM-level Covid-19 review meeting that night curfew from 9pm would be announced for 11 districts and all educational institutions would be closed apart from medical colleges. Cinema halls would operate with 50% capacity and not more than 100 people would be allowed in malls at a time. From next week, one hour of silence would be observed in the state every Saturday,11am-12 noon, for those who lost their lives to Covid, and no vehicle would ply during this time.

After a gap of 40 days, Odisha on Friday registered 100 plus new Covid-19 cases pushing the state's coronavirus caseload to 3,38,599, a health department official said, reports PTI.

Russia on Friday reported 9,699 new Covid-19 cases, including 1,809 in Moscow, pushing the national case tally to 4,437,938 since the pandemic began, reports Reuters.

I think people have become more careless after vaccination has started. People think they can move without a mask now but they need to be aware that Covid-19 is still there. I am sure the govt will control the situation, said Hema Malini, BJP on Covid-19 situation in Maharashtra, reports ANI.