Corona Updates You Must Track: India COVID-19 Tally Crosses 71-Lakh Mark, 3-Week Holiday For Schools In Karnataka

India cases and toll: With 66,732 fresh infections in the last 24 hours, between 8 am Sunday and 8 am Monday, India’s coronavirus tally climbed to 71,20,538, according to the data shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The active cases have seen a gradual decline since the last week—they now stand at 8,61,853. To date, 61,49,535 people have recovered from the disease and the recovery rate is 86.36 per cent. In the last 24 hours, 816 people succumbed to the disease, taking the nationwide COVID-19 toll to 1,09,150. India conducted 9,94,851 tests for COVID-19 on Sunday.

How are Kerala, Karnataka faring: Both the southern states recorded more than 9,000 cases in the last 24 hours. Kerala, which has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases post-Onam, reported 9,347 fresh infections and 25 deaths, taking the state’s overall tally to 2,89,202. The state’s positivity rate of 15 per cent is high compared to the national average of 8.2 per cent. Kerala currently has 96,401 active cases of coronavirus while 1,91,798 people have recovered from the disease. The state’s COVID-19 toll has crossed the 1,000-mark and is at 1,003.

Karnataka’s COVID-19 tally has gone past the 7-lakh mark, the third state to achieve the dubious distinction after Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Of the 7,10,309 cases of coronavirus so far, 1,20,289 are active, 5,80,054 recoveries and 9,966 fatalities. The state reported 9,523 fresh cases and 75 deaths in the last 24 hours. The state has announced a three-week mid-term holiday for schools, from 12 to 30 October, to check the spread of the infection.

COVID-19 tracker for 12 October. Source: Twitter/@COVIDNewsByMIB

Global corona update: The global tally for coronavirus cases has reached 3,77,55,013, as per Worldometer. This includes 83,12,051 active cases, 2,83,61,454 recoveries and 10,81,508 fatalities. Currently, 68,735 COVID-19 patients are in serious or critical condition.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring China, 9 million or 90 lakh residents of the coastal city Qingdao will be tested for COVID-19 over the next five days, after several cases were reported and traced to the Qingdao Chest Hospital, reported Al Jazeera. China’s coronavirus tally stands at 85,578, which includes 4,634 deaths.

New study shows coronavirus can survive on some surfaces for 28 days: A new study has now shown that the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, can survive on smooth surfaces for 28 days. The research, undertaken by scientists at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, found that the virus is “extremely robust” and can remain infectious for 28 days, on surfaces like mobile glass screen and plastic banknotes, reported Bloomberg.