More than 23,000 people have been infected by Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, and 718 have died in India, according to the Union health ministry data on Friday morning.

With 17,610 active cases, 4749 people cured or migrated and 718 deaths, India’s Covid-19 tally crossed the grim 23,000 mark at 23,077, according to the health ministry’s dashboard at 8am.

 

The figures have come on the 31st day of a national lockdown to halt the spread of the disease, which has infected 2,708,470 people and killed 190,788 across the world.

Officials and medical experts have said India the country’s preventive measures have helped in reducing in the disease’s doubling rate and also allowed the ramping up of testing and bolstering health care preparedness.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a meeting with the state chief ministers through video conferencing on Monday to discuss the upcoming strategy to deal with coronavirus pandemic in the country and talk about lockdown relaxations and restrictions to be taken.