<span style="color: #222222;">601 fresh confirmed cases of novel coronavirus or COVID- 19 have been reported in the country during last  24 hours taking the total number to 2902.  <br />''<br />''Out of the total cases, 183  patients have recovered and discharged from the hospitals while 68 patients have died. Briefing media in New Delhi today , Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Lav Aggarwal said, the cases reported in the country are much lesser than those detected in other  countries. <br />''<br />'' He said, 9 per cent cases are of the age group between 0 to 20 years while 42 per cent cases detected in the age group between 21 to 40 year and 33 per cent cases are related to patients between 41 to 60 year of age. Persons above 60 year of age make 17 per cent of the total cases. Mr Aggarwal suggested to the high risk people to follow the directive and guidelines issued by the government.<br />''<br />''Mr Aggarwal also informed that 1023 positive cases of COVID-19 have been identified from 17 states  including Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Delhi, Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir and Assam, Jharkhand and Karnataka  which are linked to Tablighi Jamaat cluster. Mr Aggarwal said that out of the total COVID-19 cases reported so far in the country, 30 per cent of them are linked to Tablighi Jamaat cluster. He said, states are being provided with all kind of logistics including masks and PPEs. He said, to fight the menace of COVID-19, it is very important that the guidelines related to lockdown and social distancing as well as the advisories of respiratory and hand hygiene measures are followed at all level.<br />''<br />''Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry, Punya Salila Srivastava said that the lockdown measures are being effectively implemented. She said, the availability of essential goods and items are satisfactory. She said, the first installment of 11 thousand 92 crore rupees under State Disaster Response Fund was released yesterday. On cases related to Tablighi Jamaat workers, Ms Srivastava said,  through a massive effort around 22,000 Tableeghi Jamaat workers and their contacts have been quarantined.</span>