Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday approved the release of Rs 11,092 crore to all states under the State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF) for setting up quarantine facilities and arranging other facilities for checking the spread of coronavirus. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India rose to 2,547, including 62 deaths and 162 of those who have recovered. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are the worst affected states with 423 and 411 cases, respectively.

The Union Health Ministry stated that as many as 647 COVID-19 positive cases found in 14 states in the last two days are linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation that took place last month in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz. It also said around 8,000 tests have been conducted in the last 24 hours across the country, the highest in a single day. Earlier this morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation and thanked the people for cooperating with the 21-day lockdown. In a new appeal to the countrymen, PM Modi asked people to put off the lights in their houses for nine minutes at 9 pm on Sunday, April 5, and light lamps at their doors or balconies.

As India enters the 10th day of lockdown, the government is considering options as to how to lift the lockdown on April 14. PM Modi has already warned states of a “possible second wave of spread of the virus in some countries”. Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said flights can resume bookings from April 15, and it looks like the Railways is issuing tickets from the same date. International flights, however, will be permitted depending on the point or origin.

Globally, the number of cases cross 10 lakh, the highest of which were reported from the US (244,769), Italy (115,242) and Spain (112,065). The death toll rose to 52,973; Italy has the most fatalities (13,915), followed by Spain (10,348) and France (5,387).