Coronavirus update: Health ministry releases data on protective gears

India was still in the ‘local transmission’ stage of the novel coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19) and there was no community transmission, the Indian Council of Medical Research reportedly said March 30, 2020. Down to Earth has earlier reported that the government dropped a hint of the outbreak entering the third stage in the country.

• India’s tally of people who have tested postitive for the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was at 1,071 on March 30, 2020 morning, according to the Union Ministry for Health and Family Welfare. 
• Among them, 100 were foreigners. The pandemic (COVID-19) has killed 27 people until now in the country.
• Unofficial estimates, however, put the total tally at above 1,200.
• Kerala and Maharashtra continued to account for the largest number of cases at 194 and 193 respectively. Maharashtra has recorded the maximum eight deaths, followed by Gujarat (five).
• Telangana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi and Tamil Nadu had more than 50 cases each. Assam and Jharkhand were the only major states without any cases recorded.
• United States President Donald Trump extended social-distancing guidelines through April after experts warned the US death toll could rise to as much as 200,000, the Washington Post reported.
• There were early signs the pandemic may be slowing down in the UK, according to Imperial College London epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, the Independent daily reported. 
• The world now has had 735,010 positive cases resulting in 34,804 deaths, according to Worldometer. 
• Among them, 544,084 cases were active, of which 5 per cent were serious or critical.
• Spain recorded more than 5,000 new cases and 537 deaths through the last day. It is second only to Italy in death toll.
• The United States now accounted for the most — 142,746 cases — adding 286 through the day. 
• It was followed by Italy with 97,689 cases. The country has recorded the most number of deaths at 10,779. 
• China, from where the pandemic started, reported four deaths and 31 new cases a day ago, which takes its tally to 81,470. 
• Iran added more than 3,000 cases and 117 deaths. 
• In the United Kingdom, doctors plan to use blood plasma of people who are “hyperimmune” to the virus in COVID-19 patients, the Guardian repoerted.
• Government of India on March 29 formed 11 empowered groups under the central disaster management Act to integrate the response against the pandemic.
• MoHFW released data on protective gears for the first time on March 30; said hospitals have 334,000 personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Another 3 lakh donated covers will be recieved from abroad by April 4, Here's a thread:

• #IndiaFightsCorona:
  11 domestic producers of #PPE PPE coveralls have qualified so far and orders for 21 lakh have been placed on them. They are supplying 6-7,000 pieces per day and are expected to go up to 15,000 per day by mid-April.

  — Ministry of Health
• The pandemic continued to spread to newer territories. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Island has reported its first case, the World Health Organization said onMarch 29.
• The global health body also said its COVID-19 Solidarity Fund has received $108 million.