Indians line up for free food distributed during a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, in Ahmedabad, India, April 27, 2020. (PHOTO / AP)

SYDNEY / DUBAI / NEW DELHI / SEOUL / DHAKA / TOKYO - Discussions are underway in India regarding whether to extend the 40-day lockdown, imposed to fight COVID-19 and slated to end on May 3 while the Indian capital government on Tuesday resumed services provided by specialist workers like electricians, plumbers, and water-purifier repair mechanics.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a video conference with chief ministers of states and received feedback on the matter.

The lockdown has so far yielded positive results in India as the country managed to save thousands of lives in the past one-and-a-half months, said Modi during the conference.

 India's federal health ministry Tuesday morning said 48 new deaths due to COVID-19, besides fresh 1,055 positive cases were reported since Monday evening across the country, taking the number of deaths to 934 and total cases to 29,435.

South Korea

South Korea President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday said the deepening impact from the coronavirus pandemic will worsen going forward, and said massive job losses are of his particular concern.

Speaking at a policy meeting, Moon said the third supplementary budget of this year is on its way, as growth readings for Asia’s fourth-largest economy are likely to worsen in the second quarter.

The coronavirus pandemic pushed South Korea’s economy in the first quarter into its biggest contraction since 2008, as self-isolation measures reduced consumption and global trade slumped.

South Korea reported 14 more cases of the COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago as of 0:00 am Tuesday local time, raising the total number of infections to 10,752.

Afghanistan 

Afghanistan on Tuesday reported 125 new COVID-19 cases, the second highest daily increase so far, spokesman of the Ministry of Public Health said.

"A total of 125 new COVID-19 cases were reported across Afghanistan within the past 24 hours. The number of infected patients in the country stands at 1,828 as of Tuesday morning," spokesman Wahidullah Mayar said.

On Monday, the country reported 172 new coronavirus ceases, the highest daily increase since the outbreak of the pandemic in mid-February.

Australia

Australia’s most populous state said on Tuesday it will relax some restrictions on movement as beaches reopened amid hopes a policy of widespread medical testing will help sustain a decline in new cases of the coronavirus.

Bondi Beach and two neighbouring beaches in Sydney were reopened to local residents on Tuesday, reversing a local government decision to close them following earlier criticism about large crowds that apparently violated social distancing rules.

Australian states are starting to relax some restrictions as the local rate of new infections slows to barely 1% per day, compared to 25% a month ago. The country has recorded 6,723 infections and 84 deaths associated with the virus.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh on Tuesday reported a record daily jump of 549 COVID-19 cases, taking its total to 6,462.

As three fatalities were reported, the death toll from the COVID-19 in the country has risen to 155.

Indonesia

Indonesia confirmed on Tuesday 415 new coronavirus infections, taking the total in the Southeast Asian country to 9,511.

Health ministry official Achmad Yurianto also reported eight new deaths, taking the total number of fatalities to 773. He said 1,254 people have recovered.

Iraq

The Iraqi Health Ministry on Monday confirmed 27 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number in the country to 1,847.

The 27 new cases during the past 24 hours included eight in the capital Baghdad, the ministry said in a statement.

So far, 88 have died from the disease while 1,286 recovered, according to the statement.

Israel

Israel's Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday 34 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 15,589.

According to the ministry, the number of deaths has risen from 204 to 208 since Monday evening, while the number of patients in serious conditions has decreased from 126 to 117, out of 354 patients currently hospitalized.

READ MORE: India, Pakistan ease restrictions for some small businesses

Surfers walk onto the sand to prepare to enter the water at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Tuesday, April 28, 2020, as coranavirus pandemic restrictions are eased. The beach is open to swimmers and surfers to exercise only. (PHOTO / AP)

Japan

The COVID-19 cases in Japan increased by 247 to 13,860, according to the latest figures from the health ministry and local authorities on Tuesday evening, leading to the concerns that the government may extend the state of emergency period beyond the deadline May 6.

The nationwide death toll has increased to 420, including those from a cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo.

Jordan

Jordan on Monday eased restrictions on movement aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus and allowed more businesses to reopen to help jump-start the cash-strapped economy, officials said.

Residents of the capital can now drive their private vehicles as of Wednesday between 0800 and 1800 in the first such move since a nationwide curfew nearly 40 days ago that ordered the country’s population of 10 million to stay at home.

Public transport and taxi services would also now resume with passenger restrictions and compulsory wearing of face masks and gloves, government spokesman Amjad Adailah.

Government offices however will remain shut until after the fasting month of Ramadan which is expected to end around May 23 and also schools and universities.

Malaysia

Malaysian health authorities on Tuesday reported 31 new coronavirus cases, raising the cumulative total to 5,851.

The health ministry also reported one new death, bringing total fatalities to 100.

Maldives

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Maldives reached 226 on Monday as 12 new cases were confirmed, according to the Ministry of Health.

According to data from the Ministry of Health, 39.38 percent of all confirmed cases in the country are Maldives nationals while 46.46 percent of cases, the largest share, are Bangladeshi nationals.

Mongolia

Mongolia's State Emergency Commission (SEC) on Tuesday decided to extend the suspension of international passenger flights till the end of May.

New Zealand 

New Zealanders queued for burgers, fries and coffee takeaway on Tuesday after they were freed from a month-long lockdown, which Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern credited with eliminating domestic transmission of the coronavirus.

Around 400,000 people returned to work after Ardern shifted the country’s alert level down a notch, loosening some of the tough movement restrictions that shut down businesses for weeks.

 New Zealand reported two new confirmed COVID-19 cases and one probable case over the past 24 hours, with the total number of infections being 1,472 in the country, the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday.

ALSO READ: Bangladesh restarts factories, India debates easing curbs

Oman

The Omani Ministry of Health announced on Monday 51 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number in the country to 2,049.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, 37 of the 51 new cases are Omanis, and all the new cases are related to community contact.

The statement pointed out that 31 more cases have recovered, bringing the total number of the recoveries to 364, and the death toll remained at 10.

Pakistan

Governor of Pakistan's south Sindh province Imran Ismail late Monday confirmed that he has tested positive for the COVID-19 and quarantined himself at his residence following the test result.

Pakistan's coronavirus cases continue to spike, with health experts fearing that the pandemic will hit its peak in May and June in the country. 

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 13,915 as of Monday night. Sindh, the second-worst affected province in Pakistan, has reported 4,996 cases. 

A migrant worker stands along the corridor at a foreign workers' domitory, currently under isolation as a preventive measure against the spread of the novel coronavirus, in Singapore on April 27, 2020. (PHOTO / AFP)

Singapore

Singapore’s health ministry on Tuesday confirmed 528 more coronavirus infections, the smallest daily rise in almost two weeks, taking the city-state’s tally of cases to 14,951.

As part of Singapore’s strategy to bring down coronavirus infections in the weeks to come, the government said it has more than doubled its daily testing capacity since early April. 

The city-state now has capacity to conduct more than 8,000 tests a day, up from an average of 2,900 less than a month ago, the health ministry said in a statement. 

Thailand

Thailand has on Tuesday recorded single-digit count on new COVID-19 infections for the second straight day with 7 cases and 2 new fatalities, bringing the total cases to 2,938 and the death toll to 54.

Recovery cases rose by 43 to 2,652 while 232 patients are being treated in hospitals, said Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

The Philippines

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he may soon ease restrictions to contain the coronavirus outbreak, a move that his spokesperson said will be considered after the lockdown ends in mid-May.

“While others are still on lockdown, we might open partially,” Duterte said in a televised address Monday night, without specifying a timeline.

The government plans to allow construction and other sectors to gradually restart, making sure that social distancing remains in effect including in the capital’s congested railways.

The Philippines' health authorities on Tuesday reported 181 more cases of COVID-19 disease, bringing the total number of the COVID-19 cases in the country to 7,958.  Nineteen more deaths were also reported, raising the death toll to 530. 

Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday declared three days of lockdown in 31 provinces starting from May 1 to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca on Monday confirmed 2,131 new COVID-19 cases and 95 more deaths in Turkey.

The total number of confirmed cases in Turkey has increased to 112,261, while the death toll surged to 2,900, Koca tweeted.

Meanwhle, a Turkish military plane carrying medical supplies and protective equipment was heading for the United States on Tuesday to deliver aid to its NATO ally battling the coronavirus outbreak.

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UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday announced 490 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the tally of confirmed cases in the country to 10,839.

UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention said in a statement the new cases are all in a stable condition and receiving medical treatment.

It also confirmed six more deaths, pushing the country's death toll of the virus to 82.