Corona Updates You Must Track: India COVID-19 Tally Crosses 10-Lakh Mark As Maharashtra, Karnataka Post Record Surge

India crosses 10-lakh mark: India’s coronavirus tally surged past the 10-lakh or 1-million mark on Friday morning. As per the latest figures shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India’s COVID-19 tally stood at 10,03,832 with 3,42,473 active cases and 6,35,756 recoveries. The death toll has breached the 25,000-mark. In the last 24 hours, India registered 34,956 fresh cases of coronavirus and 687 deaths—these are record numbers for a single-day surge. India reported 600-plus deaths for a second consecutive day; the daily toll was 606 the previous day. A total of 3,33,228 tests for COVID-19 were conducted on Thursday.

Oxford University vaccine raises hopes: The experimental vaccine developed by a team of researchers at the University of Oxford could provide ‘double protection’ against coronavirus. The vaccine, according to media reports, produces antibodies as well as T-cells, which are key to the body’s immune system. However, it is still too early to say if the vaccine, which is in the early stages of human trials, can provide long-lasting immunity against COVID-19.

Karnataka records 4,000-plus cases: Karnataka has become the third state after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu to breach the 50,000-mark. The state’s coronavirus tally has climbed to 51,422 with 4,169 fresh cases reported in the last 24 hours. Its COVID-19 death toll is now over 1,000—104 people succumbed to the disease on Thursday. Karnataka now has 30,661 active cases while the recoveries stand at 19,729. Bengaluru, which is under a lockdown, reported 2,344 fresh cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours.

COVID-19 Tracker. Source: Twitter/@COVIDNewsByMIB

Record spike in cases in Maharashtra: Maharashtra has, over the course of the last 24 hours, reported 8,641 fresh cases of coronavirus—a record single-day surge. The state’s COVID-19 tally is inching close to the 3-lakh mark. By Friday morning, Maharashtra’s count climbed to 2,84,281 with 1,14,947 active cases and 1,58,140 recoveries. A total of 11,194 people have died due to the virus in the state, with 266 deaths recorded on 16–17 July. With 1,498 new cases and 56 deaths on Thursday, Mumbai’s case count has gone up to 97,751 including 5,520 deaths.

Global corona update: The global tally for COVID-19 has climbed to 1,39,52,123 with 82,84,261 recoveries and 5,92,745 deaths on Friday morning, according to Worldometer, a website that tracks the spread of the infection worldwide. Leading the tally is the US, which has recorded 36,95,025 coronavirus cases, including 1,41,118 deaths. On Thursday, the US reported 70,000 fresh cases of coronavirus, a record single-day surge so far, according to a report by The Washington Post. Brazil, the second worst-hit country by the virus, has topped 20 lakh or 2 million cases and recorded more than 76,000 deaths due to COVID-19.