As India witnesses yet another record spike in Covid-19 cases, recording over 34,956 fresh infections and 687 deaths in 24 hours, the tally in India crossed the grim milestone of one million to stand at 10,03,832 including 3,42,473 active cases, 6,35,757 cured or discharged and 26,192 deaths. The only silver lining is that, as per the Union Health Ministry, less than 1.94% of the 3.42 lakh active Covid-19 cases in India are in ICU, 0.35% on ventilator support and 2.81% are being given oxygen, while the recovery rate has improved to 63.33%.
Meanwhile, ICMR has initiated human clinical trials for Covid-19 vaccine in the country with approximately 1,000 volunteers participating in the exercise for each of the two indigenously developed vaccine candidates. Maharashtra recorded another massive surge of 8,308 new coronavirus cases, taking the total number of cases to 2,92,589. The death toll reached 11,452 after 258 more deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. With 1,214 new cases, Mumbai’s total case tally has reached 99,164 of whom only 23,948 are active though. With 62 new deaths, the city’s death toll has risen to 5,585.
Delhi recorded 1,462 new coronavirus cases and pushed infection tally to over 1,20,107 in the last 24 hours. As many as 26 deaths, took the toll to 3,541. New Delhi has currently 17,235 active cases with 99,301 recoveries till date. A total of 6,270 RTPCR and 14,194 rapid antigen tests were done in the last 24 hours and cumulative 7,77,125 tests have been done so far in the national capital. Tamil Nadu reported 4,538 fresh cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 1,60,907 while the death toll reached 2,315. The tally includes 47,782 active cases and 1,10,807 discharged/cured. Of the total new cases, 1,243 new cases were from Chennai. Meanwhile, neighbouring state Karnataka reported 3,693 fresh coronavirus cases and 115 deaths in the last 24 hours. Of the total number of new cases, 2,208 cases and 75 deaths were in Bengaluru alone. Kerala saw a surge of 791 new Covid-19 positive cases, 133 recoveries and one death in the last 24 hours. West Bengal recorded the highest one-day jump of 1,894 new coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 38,011. The tally includes 14,709 active cases and 22,253 discharged/ cured cases. The death toll rose to 1049 after 26 more fatalities. The state government extended the temporary restriction on the arrival of flights to Kolkata Airport from six cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Nagpur and Ahmedabad till 31 July. Himachal Pradesh reported 18 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of infections to 1,402. The tally includes 383 active cases and 995 recovered/cured. The death toll is now at nine. Meanwhile, 795 new Covid-19 cases have been reported in Haryana, taking the total number of cases to 24,797. Gujarat recorded 949 Covid-19 cases and 17 deaths in the last 24 hours, increasing its numbers to 2108 fatalities and 46,516 infections. The state’s active cases rose to 11,464 while so far 32,944 patients have been discharged.