Health Ministry has issued new Covid-19 guidelines for market places. These include fines for not wearing masks and discounts for shopping during lean hours. The SOPs outlined that market places in containment zones shall remain closed.

The guidelines also suggest closing of markets if a large number of coronavirus cases are reported. The SOPs said that online booking of groceries and doorstep delivery of those must be encouraged.

The SOPs outlined that market places in containment zones shall remain closed. Shop owners and employees living in containment zones shall not be allowed entry into marketplaces, it stated.

According to the SOPs, COVID-appropriate behaviour in marketplaces may be regulated by market associations through a number of measures. It also suggested setting up mask dispensing kiosks at government-approved rates at entry points of markets and parking lots.

The Active Caseload of India stands at 4,55,555 as of yesterday. Present contribution of Active Caseload to India’s total positive cases is 4.89%. About 70% (69.59%) of the total Active Cases is contributed by eight States/UT i.e. Maharashtra, Kerala, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. Maharashtra leads the tally with 87,014 total active COVID cases, as of today. Kerala has recorded 64,615 active cases, while Delhi follows with 38,734 total active cases. Maharashtra recorded the maximum positive change with the addition of 1,526 cases whereas Chhattisgarh recorded maximum negative change with a decrease of 719 active cases.43,082 new confirmed COVID cases have been registered in the last 24 hours in the country. Of these, 76.93% is contributed by ten States/UTs.Maharashtra leads the tally with 6,406 new COVID cases. Delhi has reported 5,475 new cases, while Kerala registered another 5,378 new cases in the last 24 hours. Total recovered cases in India have crossed 87 lakhs (87,18,517).

The national recovery rate stood at 93.65% yesterday.39,379 recoveries have been registered in the last 24 hours in the country.78.15% of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States/UTs.Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 5,970 newly discharged cases. 4,937 people recovered in Delhi followed by 4,815 in Maharashtra.83.80% of the total deaths are concentrated in 10 States/UT viz Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Maharashtra contributes maximum (34.49%) to the total deaths with 46,813 deaths till now.75.20% of the 492 case fatalities reported in the past 24 hours are concentrated in ten States/UTs.Delhi with 91 deaths reported the maximum new fatalities. Maharashtra saw a fatality count of 65 followed by West Bengal with 52 deaths.