New Delhi, March 28: The number of coronavirus cases has risen to 873 in India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Saturday. Out of 873 coronavirus cases, 775 are active. While 78 people were treated successfully, 19 lost their lives due to coronavirus. One patient had migrated. Maharashtra, where 180 people have tested positive so far, recorded the most number of coronavirus cases, followed by Kerala where 173 people contracted the virus. Migrant Workers Continue Journey on Foot to Reach Homes in UP, Haryana, Rajasthan.

Of the 19 deaths, five were reported in Maharashtra and three from Gujarat. Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh recorded two deaths each. Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir. Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal saw one death each.  As India continues to see a rise in coronavirus cases, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is working to develop local testing kits. Coronavirus Outbreak Live News Updates on March 28. 

According to Dr R R Gangakhedkar, head of epidemiology and communicable disease at ICMR, researchers at Pune's National Institute of Virology are working to develop testing kits. "We are also watching the efforts of various research groups working on the vaccine, at least five are already in the animal testing stage. We have indicated our interest in the human trial stage," Dr Gangakhedkar was quoted by Times of India as saying.

Coronavirus Cases Across India:

S. No. Name of State / UT Total Confirmed cases (Indian National) Total Confirmed cases ( Foreign National ) Cured/

Discharged/Migrated

 Death
1 Andaman and Nicobar Islands 2 0 0 0
2 Andhra Pradesh 14 0 1 0
3 Bihar 9 0 0 1
4 Chandigarh 7 0 0 0
5 Chhattisgarh 6 0 0 0
6 Delhi 38 1 6 1
7 Goa 3 0 0 0
8 Gujarat 44 1 0 3
9 Haryana 19 14 11 0
10 Himachal Pradesh 3 0 0 1
11 Jammu and Kashmir 18 0 1 1
12 Karnataka 55 0 3 2
13 Kerala 165 8 11 0
14 Ladakh 13 0 3 0
15 Madhya Pradesh 30 0 0 2
16 Maharashtra 177 3 25 5
17 Manipur 1 0 0 0
18 Mizoram 1 0 0 0
19 Odisha 3 0 0 0
20 Puducherry 1 0 0 0
21 Punjab 38 0 1 1
22 Rajasthan 46 2 3 0
23 Tamil Nadu 32 6 2 1
24 Telangana 38 10 1 0
25 Uttarakhand 4 1 0 0
26 Uttar Pradesh 44 1 11 0
27 West Bengal 15 0 0 1
Total number of confirmed cases in India 826 47 79 19

The drug regulator Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has also initiated steps to facilitate the development of local COVID-19 test kits, vaccines and therapeutics. It has fast-tracked regulatory approvals for companies working in developing coronavirus-related vaccines, diagnostic, prophylactic and therapeutics.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 28, 2020 09:54 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).