Five more persons tested positive for the coronavirus in Gujarat on Friday, taking the number of confirmed Covid-19 patients in the state to seven.

Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh on Friday took a test for coronavirus as it emerged that he was at a party thrown by celebrity singer Kanika Kapoor who is now suffering from COVID-19, while three BJP MLAs who met him on Thursday went into self-isolation, sources said.

Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor on Friday announced that she has tested positive for COVID-19, setting off a chain reaction with political leaders like Vasundhara Raje, her MP son Dushyant Singh and parliamentarians Derek O'Brien and Anupriya Patel, who came in contact with her directly or indirectly, going into self-quarantine as a precautionary measure.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said there was a good coordination between Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Maharashtra faces the challenge of containing the coronavirus.

India reported 50 fresh cases of COVID-19, highest in a day, taking the tally to 223 on Friday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed with chief ministers ways and preparedness of the states to check and prevent the spread of coronavirus, which has claimed more than 10,000 lives globally.

A Delhi court Friday sent suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain to one-day police custody in connection with the recent communal violence in northeast Delhi.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Friday deferred the personality tests (interviews) of the candidates of civil services examination 2019 as a precautionary measure to check the spread of coronavirus, a statement issued by the Personnel Ministry said.

The women protesters in Shaheen Bagh will continue with their protest on Sunday, the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people to remain inside their houses under a self-imposed curfew.