Corona Updates You Can Track: India COVID-19 Tally Crosses 16-Lakh Mark, More Than 55,000 Cases In A Day

India cases and toll: In yet another record jump in cases, India reported 55,078 cases of coronavirus on Thursday. The country’s coronavirus tally now stands at 16,38,870 with 5,45,318 active cases, 10,57,805 recoveries and 35,747 deaths, as per the data provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The country reported 779 deaths due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day figure so far. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), India replaced Italy on the fifth spot for maximum fatalities due to COVID-19. A total of 6,42,588 tests for COVID-19 were conducted across the country on Thursday. The recovery rate has improved to 64.57 per cent.

Herd immunity not an option for India: Given India’s population size, herd immunity cannot be an option to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the Health Ministry said on Thursday at a press briefing. “In a country the size of (and with) a population like India, herd immunity cannot be a strategic choice or option. It can only be an outcome, and that too at a very high cost, as it means lakhs of people would have to be infected, get hospitalized and many would die in the process,” said Rajesh Bhushan, officer on special duty in the Health Ministry, as per The Times of India report.

Unrelenting surge in Andhra Pradesh: For a second consecutive day, Andhra Pradesh registered more than 10,000 cases of coronavirus. On Thursday, the state recorded 10,167 cases, the highest single-day surge so far, taking the state tally to 1,30,557. The state had reported 10,093 cases of coronavirus on Wednesday. Andhra Pradesh currently has 69,252 active cases against 60,024 recoveries. The COVID-19 toll has climbed to 1,281 with 68 people succumbing to the disease in the last 24 hours.

COVID-19 Tracker. Source: Twitter/@COVIDNewsByMIB

West Bengal caseload increasing: There has been a steady increase in the number of coronavirus cases and fatalities in West Bengal. Bengal recorded 46 deaths due to COVID-19 on Thursday, the highest in the state so far. The state’s coronavirus toll has climbed to 1,536. In the last 24 hours, Bengal recorded 2,434 cases of coronavirus, the biggest single-day surge. With this, the state’s COVID-19 tally is now at 67,692. Against 19,900 active cases, 46,256 people have recovered from the illness in the state.

Maharashtra’s COVID-19 battle continues: Even as the Maharashtra government has extended the statewide lockdown to 31 August, the number of coronavirus cases reported every day is showing no signs of decline. On Thursday, Maharashtra recorded 11,147 COVID-19 cases, the biggest daily surge to date. The state’s coronavirus tally has gone up to 4,11,798 with 1,48,454 active cases, 2,48,615 recoveries and 14,729 deaths.    

Global corona update: The global coronavirus tally has climbed to 1,74,77,419 with 1,09,40,377 recoveries and 6,76,794 deaths, as per Worldometer. The US remains the worst-affected country by the coronavirus, with 46,34,985 total cases, including 1,55,285 deaths. In Brazil, after President Jair Bolsonaro, now the country’s first lady Michelle Bolsanaro has tested positive for COVID-19. The country has recorded 26,13,789 cases of coronavirus so far with 91,377 deaths.