COVID-19 death toll in country rises to 56, cases to 2,301
New Delhi: The number of COVID-19 cases climbed to 2,301 in the country on Wednesday while the death toll rose to 56, according to the Union Health Ministry.
The number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 2,088, while 156 people were either cured or discharged and one migrated to another country, the ministry stated.
The figure of 2,301 includes 55 foreign nationals. As per the ministry's updated data at 9 am, three new virus-related deaths were reported from Maharashtra.
Thus, Maharashtra has reported the most deaths (16) so far, followed by Gujarat (7), Madhya Pradesh (6), Punjab (4), Karnataka (3), Telengana (3), West Bengal (3), Delhi (4), Jammu and Kashmir (2), Uttar Pradesh (2) and Kerala (2).
Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh have reported one death each.
The highest number of confirmed cases of the pandemic was reported from Maharashtra at 335, followed by Tamil Nadu with 309 infections and Kerela with 286 cases so far.
The number of cases in Delhi has gone up to 219, in Rajasthan to 133 and Andhra Pradesh to 132. The cases in Karnataka have risen to 124.
Uttar Pradesh has reported 113 positive cases so far, while the cases in Telengana stand at 107. Madhya Pradesh has reported 99 cases so far, Gujarat 87 while Jammu and Kashmir has 70 positive patients so far. The number of cases has risen to 53 in West Bengal.
Punjab has reported 46 cases, while 43 COVID-19 cases have been detected in Haryana. Bihar has 24, Chandigarh has 18, Assam has 16 and Ladakh has reported 14 cases so far.
Ten cases have been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Uttarakhand has reported 10 cases while Chhattisgarh has nine positive patients so far. Goa and Himachal Pradesh have have reported six coronavirus cases each. Odisha has five cases while Puducherry has three cases.
Jhakhand and Manipur have reported two cases each while Mizoram and Arunachal Pradeh have reported a case each.
"18 cases are being reassigned to states for contact tracing," the ministry said on its website.
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Kharge rules out Chief Minister change in Karnataka 'for now'
Kalaburgai (Karnataka) (PTI): AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said there was no Chief Minister change in Karnataka "for now" and that the leadership issue in the state will be resolved soon.
The Congress chief's statement comes amid speculations within the party and political circles about a possible decision on leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after May 4, once the results for assembly elections in four states and one union territory, along with bypolls to two assembly segments in Karnataka, are announced.
Supporters of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar have been insisting on his elevation in lines with a rumoured power-sharing agreement with CM Siddaramaiah when the party won the 2023 Assembly polls.
"You (media), he (Parameshwara) and people at the top say that it is better if I become (the chief minister). But, more than fate, as per my ideology and as per my service to the party so far, Sonia Gandhi takes decisions regarding me," he said in response to a question about Home Minister G Parameshwara's statement about Kharge becoming the CM.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "But, that question does not arise now. There is already a Chief Minister here. If Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and I, together, have to take any decision in the direction of a change, it will take some time. Let's wait and see."
Amid speculations about the leadership change in Karnataka, Parameshwara said on Wednesday that everyone in the ruling Congress party will welcome, if Kharge, a senior politician with a lot of experience, becomes the chief minister.
The leadership tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculation about a possible change of chief minister after the Congress government completed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, 2025. The speculation has been fuelled by the reported "power-sharing" arrangement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar at the time of government formation in 2023.
To a question on JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy's statement that about 40 Congress MLAs having booked tickets to Delhi next month, amid the leadership tussle in the Congress, Kharge said, "I don't know, ask him for details."
