Coronavirus live news updates: At 36,902 cases, Maharashtra sees highest one-day spike; night curfew from March 28

France's president says he has nothing to be sorry about for refusing to impose a third virus lockdown earlier this year, even though his country is now facing surging infections that are straining hospitals and more than 1,000 people with the virus are dying every week.Emmanuel Macron's government has stressed the importance of keeping children in school and businesses afloat as the pandemic stretches into a second year.

The Karnataka Central Diocese has asked people and churches to avoid Palm Sunday Rally and processions."The COVID-19 virus is mutating and the second wave of the virus is a fast-spreading one," said Bishop PK Samuel in a notice dated March 22.The notice advised the restricting of gatherings to less than 500 people and discouraged children and persons above the age of 65 from attending any public functions and worship services.

Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Chhattisgarh government has decided to impose a fine of Rs 500 for not wearing a mask in public places, informed the state health and family welfare department on Thursday.The state health department issued an order to this effect under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 to contain the spread of the infection."Unde this, now a penalty of Rs 500 will be imposed if anyone is found not wearing mask or face cover in public places. Earlier, the penalty was Rs 100 for the violation," it said.

Union Health Ministry in its daily vaccination update on Friday said the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 5.5 crore with over 23 lakh inoculated in the last 24-hours.

Five states -- Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat -- have registered a sharp rise in daily COVID-19 cases, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday as India recorded 59,118 new infections, the highest single-day rise so far this year.After touching its lowest mark in mid-February, India's active COVID-19 caseload is on a steady rise and has breached the 4-lakh mark again after around three-and-half months.As of date, there are 4.21 lakh active cases in the country, a net rise of 25,874 infections in a day.