Bhopal, Apr 15 (IANS): Madhya Pradesh marked the end of the first phase of corona lockdown with high of 126 positive cases on Tuesday. This took the total number in the state to 741, health officials said.

With three more COVID-19 deaths, toll reached to 53 while 64 patients have recovered till now, the officials said.

Indore reported two while one person succumbed to virus in Bhopal.

The second phase of 19 days' lockdown could mean a long arduous haul for recovery for both Indore and Bhopal -- the two hotspots in the state.

With 83 news corona positive cases recorded by Tuesday evening Indore touched 411 mark, said the health department officials. Bhopal's tally touched 158 with 16 new cases.

Of the 53 COVID-19 deaths in the state, 37 have been reported from Indore. Five people have died in Bhopal, six in Ujjain, three in Khargone while one each in Chhindwara and Dewas.

Apart from Indore and Bhopa, Ujjain recorded 26 cases while Khargone and Barwani recorded 17 each. Hoshangabad and Khandwa recorded 15 cases each. 14 cases were reported from Morena, 13 from Vidisha, 12 from Jabalpur, seven from Dewas, six from Gwalior, four each from Raisen, Shajapur and Chhindwara, three each from Sheopur and Dhar, two each from Satna, Shivpuri, Ratlam and Mandsaur and one each from Betul and Sagar.

On Tuesday, first COVID-19 positive case of Tikamgarh district was found, health officials said.

The affected man had worked at the hospital of the Indore doctor who died due to the COVID-19 last week, Tikamgarh's Chief Health and Medical Officer Dr M.K. Prajapati said.