India on Saturday reported 7,964 cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and 265 deaths in the last 24 hours, in another highest single-day spike, taking the tally to 173,763, Union health ministry data showed.
This is the second day in a row that India has witnessed a daily rise of more than 7,000 Covid-19 cases.
The number of people who have recovered from Covid-19 also went up as 82,369 patients were discharged from hospitals across the country, according to the health ministry’s dashboard at 8a
With this India’s recovery rate has jumped to 47.40%, up from 42.88% on Friday, as the fourth phase of the lockdown to curb the spread of the deadly infection is scheduled to end on Sunday.
Maharashtra has reported 62,228 Covid-19 cases, including 2098 deaths, so far. In Tamil Nadu, there have been 20,246 infections, including 154 deaths, and Delhi with 17,386 Covid-19 cases is the third worst-affected region in the country.
The national capital has seen 398 people dying of the respiratory disease.
India on Saturday reported 7,964 cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and 265 deaths in the last 24 hours, in another highest single-day spike, taking the tally to 173,763, Union health ministry data showed.
This is the second day in a row that India has witnessed a daily rise of more than 7,000 Covid-19 cases.
The number of people who have recovered from Covid-19 also went up as 82,369 patients were discharged from hospitals across the country, according to the health ministry’s dashboard at 8am.
With this India’s recovery rate has jumped to 47.40%, up from 42.88% on Friday, as the fourth phase of the lockdown to curb the spread of the deadly infection is scheduled to end on Sunday.
Maharashtra has reported 62,228 Covid-19 cases, including 2098 deaths, so far. In Tamil Nadu, there have been 20,246 infections, including 154 deaths, and Delhi with 17,386 Covid-19 cases is the third worst-affected region in the country.
The national capital has seen 398 people dying of the respiratory disease.
Gujarat has fewer number of Covid-19 cases at 15,934 but with 980 fatalities the state’s death toll is nearly double of Tamil Nadu and Delhi.
A number of states want the lockdown to continue in some form and, at the same time, have called for more relaxations after the fourth phase ends.
Union home minister Amit Shah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, less than 24 hours after Shah held discussions on the phone with chief ministers on the coronavirus outbreak.
News agency PTI quoted a government official as saying that Shah briefed Modi about the suggestions and the feedback he received from chief ministers on the road ahead.
The nationwide lockdown, with the first phase imposed on March 25 for 21 days, has been extended thrice. States can frame their own guidelines for the lockdown but they have been advised not to dilute the central rules.
The central government has identified 145 new districts, mostly rural, that have reported Covid-19 cases over the past three weeks and warned that they could emerge as “epicentres” of the disease if effective containment measures are not undertaken.
Cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, in a presentation to state representatives, on Thursday highlighted that eastern India was likely to be the next big Covid-19 hotspot with the return of migrant workers from the worst-hit states.
The cabinet secretary said 12 states, including Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha in eastern India which had not reported many cases earlier, have witnessed rapid infection spread in the three weeks until May 25.
Other states such as Tripura and Manipur, too, have reported an increase in Covid-19 cases after having infections in single digits earlier.
The Union health ministry has said the bigger states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh remained the main contributors to the surge but that states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha saw a sharp increase in cases primarily because of the return of migrant workers from Covid-19 hotspots.
Most states have recorded a fall in the fatality rate even as it increased in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat between May 18 and May 25, according to the ministry.
The fatality rate has declined from 8.5% to 7.1% in West Bengal but it remains the highest for any major state.
Dr KK Agarwal, the former Indian Medical Association president, said the fatality and the confirmation rates in India were still less than the western countries and that the lockdown has helped in containing the numbers.
Gujarat has fewer number of Covid-19 cases at 15,934 but with 980 fatalities the state’s death toll is nearly double of Tamil Nadu and Delhi.
A number of states want the lockdown to continue in some form and, at the same time, have called for more relaxations after the fourth phase ends.
Union home minister Amit Shah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, less than 24 hours after Shah held discussions on the phone with chief ministers on the coronavirus outbreak.
News agency PTI quoted a government official as saying that Shah briefed Modi about the suggestions and the feedback he received from chief ministers on the road ahead.
The nationwide lockdown, with the first phase imposed on March 25 for 21 days, has been extended thrice. States can frame their own guidelines for the lockdown but they have been advised not to dilute the central rules.
The central government has identified 145 new districts, mostly rural, that have reported Covid-19 cases over the past three weeks and warned that they could emerge as “epicentres” of the disease if effective containment measures are not undertaken.
Cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, in a presentation to state representatives, on Thursday highlighted that eastern India was likely to be the next big Covid-19 hotspot with the return of migrant workers from the worst-hit states.
The cabinet secretary said 12 states, including Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha in eastern India which had not reported many cases earlier, have witnessed rapid infection spread in the three weeks until May 25.
Other states such as Tripura and Manipur, too, have reported an increase in Covid-19 cases after having infections in single digits earlier.
The Union health ministry has said the bigger states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh remained the main contributors to the surge but that states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha saw a sharp increase in cases primarily because of the return of migrant workers from Covid-19 hotspots.
Most states have recorded a fall in the fatality rate even as it increased in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat between May 18 and May 25, according to the ministry.
The fatality rate has declined from 8.5% to 7.1% in West Bengal but it remains the highest for any major state.
Dr KK Agarwal, the former Indian Medical Association president, said the fatality and the confirmation rates in India were still less than the western countries and that the lockdown has helped in containing the numbers.
