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The Kerala government issued its first warning against the coronavirus outbreak on January 21. Nine days later the first COVID-19 case in India was reported from Kerala. As the nation's fight against the COVID-19 approaches its 100th day, we take a look at humanity's raging battle against the pandemic.


January 30-May 8

The first coronavirus positive case reported from Kerala. The patient, among the four Keralite medical students who returned from China's Wuhan, was immediately isolated at the Thrissur General Hospital.

January 30

Kerala confirms second COVID-19 case. The patient, another student who returned from Wuhan, admitted to Alappuzha Medical College Hospital. India airlifts 323 stranded citizens from Wuhan.

February 2

Another medical student from Wuhan, hailing from Kasaragod's Kanhangad, is Kerala's third COVID-19 patient. Kerala government declares coronavirus outbreak a state calamity.

February 3

Kerala withdraws 'state calamity' status of coronavirus

February 7

The disease caused by coronavirus gets an official name: COVID-19. The World Health Organization wanted a name that did not refer to a geographical location, an animal, an individual or group of people but was “pronounceable and related to the disease."

Second COVID-19 patient from Kerala discharged from Alappuzha Medical College Hospital, thereby becoming the first patient in India to recover from the illness fully.

February 11, 13

India's first patient tests negative. She was discharged from the Thrissur Medical College Hospital a day later.

February 19

Three new coronavirus cases reported from New Delhi, Telangana and Jaipur

March 1, 2

India ramps up efforts to test international passengers, stops issuing visas. First COVID-19 case in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state.

March 3, 5

First COVID-19 cases reported in Tamil Nadu and Ladakh on March 7 and Maharashtra and Karnataka on March 9. On March 8, five Keralites test positive for COVID-19. This include three of a family who had returned to Kerala from Italy on February 29 and two of their relatives, whom they had visited after they reached.

March 7-9

Eight new cases reported in Kerala with Kottayam registering first case. All mass gatherings banned in Kerala. Classes up to seventh grade suspended.

March 10

WHO declares coronavirus a pandemic. On March 12, India's first COVID-19 death confirmed in Karnataka.

March 11-12

Central government declares COVID-19 a 'notified disaster'. India reports second death in Delhi.

March 14

Radiologist from Sri Chitra Tirunal Insitute of Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, tests positive. Kerala government launches 'Break the Chain' campaign to ensure hand hygiene.

March 15

Three more test positive in Kerala, one from Kasaragod and 2 from Malappuram. Union government orders all institutions, shopping malls, theatres, gyms shut until March 31.

March 16

Bengal, Haryana, Puducherry report first cases. Jammu & Kashmir reports first case on March 18.

March 17,18

Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and union territory of Chandigarh reports first cases. Kerala government declares Rs 20,000-crore package.

March 19

Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh report first cases. First case in Ernakulam district of Kerala. Former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje in self quarantine after attending a party with Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor, who tested COVID-19 positive. Bihar records first case.

March 20,21

India observes 'Janata curfew'

March 22

After 30 new cases were reported, Kerala announces lockdown till March 31 to contain the virus.

March 23

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces 21-day lockdown to contain the spread of the disease, COVID-19 tally crosses 100 in Kerala

March 24

India suspends all domestic and international airline services. First case reported in Goa, Mizoram. Anadaman & Nicobar islands and Wayanad reports first case on March 26.

March 25, 26

Kerala records highest single-day surge with 39 cases, Kollam records first case.

March 27

First COVID-19 death recorded in Kerala. Yakub Hussain Sait, 69, dies at Ernakulam Medical College. PM CARES fund launched for accepting COVID-19 related donations.

March 28

COVID-19 case tally crosses 1000 in India and 200 in Kerala. Migrant workers violate lockdown norms in Kottayam, Section 144 imposed.

March 29

Almost 200 participants of Tablighi Jamaat in New Delhi's Nizamuddin admitted to hospitals.

March 30

Kerala reports second COVID-19 death. Thiruvananthapuram resident and retired police personnel Abdul Azeez, 68, dies at the Government Medical College Hospital. First COVID-19 case reported in Assam and Jharkhand.

March 31

Keralites die of COVID-19 in US, UK, UAE and Mumbai

April 1

First COVID-19 case in Arunachal Pradesh. COVID-19 tally crosses 2,000 in India, death toll rises to 50. Brian Neil, a British national who had been undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at Ernakulam Government Medical College, discharged.

April 2

The country's oldest COVID-19 patients - Thomas (93) and Mariamma (86), recover in Kerala

April 3

COVID-19 tally crosses 300 in Kerala, 50 patients recover; India's COVID-19 case tally crosses 3,000.

April 4,5

COVID-19 tally crosses 4,000, death toll crosses 100 in India. 56 Malayali nurses test COVID positive in Mumbai

April 6

India's COVID-19 tally crosses 5,000. Number of infected cross 1,000 in Maharashtra, 350 in Kerala

April 7,9

71-year-old Mahe native dies at Pariyaram Medical College. This is the third COVID related death in Kerala.

April 10, 11

Kerala becomes tenth state with the most number of COVID-19 cases. First COVID case reported in Meghalaya and Nagaland on April 13. COVID tally crosses 10,000 in India.

April 12, 13

India extends lockdown to May 3

April 14

7 Kerala districts--Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Malappuram, Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram--among 170 COVID-19 hotspots in India. Kozhikode in the green zone while the rest of the districts are in the orange zone.

April 15

Kerala modifies the zonal classification of districts with centre's permission. Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram in the Red Zone. Idukki and Kottayam declared Green Zones.

April 16

India's death toll crosses 500; number of cases touch 400 in Kerala, number of samples tested in the state cross 20,000

April 19, 21

India's COVID-19 tally crosses 20,000. New cases reported from Kottayam and Idukki districts, which are Green Zones.

April 22

Idukki, Kottayam districts declared Orange Zones.

April 23

Number of COVID-19 cases cross 450 in Kerala. A four-month-old baby dies of COVID-19 at Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode.

April 24

India's COVID-19 tally crosses 25,000, 500 recover from illness

April 25, 26

Kottayam, Idukki districts declared as red zones after spurt in cases. Nationwide COVID-19 tally crosses 30,000

April 27, 28

45-day-old baby recovers from COVID-19 in Telangana becoming the youngest to recover from the illnes

April 29

Face masks made mandatory in Kerala

April 30

India extends lockdown to May 17 with a host of relaxations. No new COVID-19 cases in Kerala. Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Thrissur and Wayanad districts become COVID-free. The first non-stop train (Shramik train) ferrying migrant labourers leaves Aluva to Bhubaneswar in Odisha.

May 1

Two new COVID cases in Kerala. Number of reported cases reaches 499. COVID infections in India cross 37,000. Recoveries cross 10,000.

May 2

No new COVID-19 cases in Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram, Kozhikode districts become disease free. Keralites stranded in other Indian states begin their return. India's Air Force planes fly over major Indian cities and helicopters shower petals on hospitals to pay rich tributes to front-line health workers fighting COVID. Four Navy ships move to Gulf to repatriate stranded Indians. COVID infections cross 42,000.

May 3-4

Three more COVID cases in Kerala, taking the total number of infections to 502. India charts out the biggest evacuation exercise - Vande Bharat - to bring back 1.92 lakh Indians stranded in various foreign countries.

May 5

No fresh COVID cases in Kerala. Eight districts - Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram - become COVID free.

May 6

Expatriates stranded abroad, including Keralites from Gulf countries and Malaysia, set to return home.

May 7

India's COVID fight enters 100th day. The first case was confirmed on January 30, 2020 in Thrissur in Kerala. Refer graphics for latest COVID figures.

May 8