Coronavirus Live Updates: ICMR removes price cap of Rs 4,500 for COVID-19 test; India cases top 1.51 lakh

Covid 19 India Statewise Live Tracker: As many as 64,425 people have been cured/discharged. The death toll stands at 4,337, the health ministry said.

Lockdown 4.0 India Live News: India witnessed a spike of 6,387 new COVID-19 cases and 170 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total number of cases in the country now stands at 1,51,767 including 83,004 active cases. As many as 64,425 people have been cured/discharged. The death toll stands at 4,337, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in its latest update on Wednesday. Maharashtra has emerged as the worst affected state with over 50,000 patients. In the last 24 hours, 75 police personnel have tested positive for COVID-19 have been reported in Maharashtra. Total number of positive cases in Maharashtra Police has now reached to 1,964 and death toll  is 20. Total 849 police personnel have recovered so far. Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and other are also registering hundreds of COVID-19 cases on a daily basis. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has ‘temporarily’ suspended the trial of hydroxychloriquine as a potential drug to treat coronavirus infection. Hydroxychloriquine is normally used in the treatment of malaria.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research has removed the price cap of Rs 4,500 for the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test used to detect COVID-19. The central medical body has asked states and UTs to negotiate with private labs to fix “mutually agreeable” rates for the test, news agency PTI reported.