India’s coronavirus tally rises to 10.38 lakh

International Desk Published: 18 July 2020, 12:59 PM
India’s coronavirus tally rises to 10.38 lakh

India’s coronavirus tally rose to 10,38,716, including 3,58,692 active cases and 6,53,751 recovered cases, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Saturday. The death toll has climbed to 26,273, reports The Statesman. 

India recorded a spike of 34,884 cases and 671 deaths in the last 24 hours.

The rate of recovery further increased to 63.33 per cent this morning, while the actual caseload of COVID-19 in the country is less than 35 per cent.

The current fatality rate is 2,55 per cent compared to 3.36 per cent in June, the government said today morning.

India, however, remains the third worst-affected country after the US and Brazil.

The Union Health Ministry has also said there has been a continuous decline in daily growth rate of coronavirus cases from 31.28 per cent in the beginning of April to 3.49 per cent in mid-July. “Rising recovery rate, from 52% in mid-June to more than 63% in mid-July, is aiding continuous decline in COVID-19 active cases,” the ministry said in a tweet.

During the last 24 hours, 3,61,024 samples were tested, as the testing lab network continues to expand. So far, more than 1,206 labs have enabled people to undergo Coronavirus tests.

Maharashtra remains the worst-hit state, with 2,92,589 cases and 11,452 casualties followed by Tamil Nadu with total 1,60,907 cases, including 2,315 deaths.

With 1,462 new coronavirus cases and 26 deaths in the last 24 hours, the national capital recorded a total tally of 1,20,107 cases and 3,571 deaths.

A record number of 115 COVID-19 patients succumbed to the virus in Karnataka, even as 3,693 new positive cases were reported, raising the state’s tally to 55,115, a health official said on Friday.

Meanwhile, the situation in Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram is quite grim as community transmission has been reported in a few coastal areas of the district. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday announced a total lockdown in the affected regions from today. He, however, said the state government is equipped to handle the rapid growth of COVID-19 cases and there is no need for a comprehensive shut down.

“Large number of cases in some places in coastal areas of Thiruvananthapuram district is an indication of disease spread. We can say there is community spread in these places. The government is taking steps to coordinate all efforts to face this serious situation,” he said at a press conference.

“We are moving to the next stage. There will be more restrictions in the capital district, which has a serious outbreak of the disease. A total lockdown will be implemented in the coastal areas from tomorrow,” the Kerala CM added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Friday said that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely tested the resilience of all nations but India has tried to make the fight against the pandemic a people’s movement, by combining the efforts of government and civil society. He added that in the joint fight against COVID-19, India has extended medical and other assistance to over 150 countries

On the global front, the overall number of Coronavirus cases has surpassed the 14 million mark, while the deaths have topped 6,01,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

The US accounts for the world’s highest number of infections and fatalities at 3,641,417 and 139,175, respectively, according to the CSSE.

Brazil is in the second place with 2,046,328 Coronavirus cases and 77,851 deaths.