COVID: India crosses 23-lakh mark; recovery rate increases to 70.3%

India crossed the 23-lakh mark in COVID-19 cases as the country reported 55,608 fresh cases, as of 9.30 pm on Tuesday (August 11). The total number of coronavirus cases increased to 23,22,761, while the death toll rose to 46,158 with 805 new fatalities. More than 2.5 crore samples have been tested across the country.

The recovery rate too increased to 70.3 per cent as 51,733 people were discharged from various hospitals across the country, raising the number of recoveries to 16,33,373. As many as 6,42,757 cases are active. West Bengal became the seventh state to cross the one-lakh mark in the total number of confirmed cases.

Maharashtra reported 11,088 fresh cases of COVID-19, taking its tally to 5,35,601, while 256 more patients died due to the infection. After the addition of new cases, the state’s tally rose to 5,35,601, while the COVID-19 fatality figure increased to 18,306. Also, 10,014 patients were discharged from hospitals on Tuesday.

Tamil Nadu reported 5,834 fresh cases taking the tally to 3,08,649, while 118 fatalities pushed the death toll to 5,159. Active cases stood at 52,810 with 6,005 discharges from various hospitals and in total 2,50,680 patients have recovered. Of the fresh cases, Chennai city reported 986, the highest in the state.

Andhra Pradesh’s tally went up to 2,44,549 as 9,024 fresh cases were added, while 87 more deaths pushed the overall toll to 2,203. As many as 9,113 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovering from the disease. More positive cases were detected in rapid antigen tests as compared to RT-PCR, TruNat and other tests.

Over one lakh patients have been discharged so far after recovery in Karnataka, as the state reported 6,257 new cases and 86 fatalities. The total number of infections now stood at 1,88,611 and death toll was 3,398. Recoveries overtook the number of cases reported on Tuesday, with 6,473 patients being discharged.

The national capital recorded 1,257 fresh coronavirus cases, and eight deaths, the lowest in over two months, in the last 24 hours. This is the first time in over two months that the daily number of deaths has dropped below 10. The city has so far recorded a total of 1,47,391 cases, of which 1,32,384 people have recovered.

Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday reported its highest single-day spike of 5,041 COVID-19 cases, while 56 more people died due to the infection. The total number of cases in the state now stands at 1,31,763 and fatalities at 2,176. So far, 80,589 of the infected have been treated and discharged, while there are 48,998 active cases.

The COVID-19 tally in West Bengal reached 1,01,390 after 2,931 new infections were reported. The death toll mounted to 2,149 with 49 fresh fatalities, the health department said in a bulletin. Since Monday, 3,067 patients were discharged from hospitals taking the total number of people who recovered from the disease to 73,395.

Gujarat reported 1,118 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total count to 73,238 in the state. The number of fatalities increased by 23 to 2,697. With 1,140 patients getting discharged in the day, the number of recoveries mounted to 56,416. At 41,647, the health department conducted the highest number of tests in a day so far.

Punjab reported a record 32 fatalities due to COVID-19, pushing the death toll to 636, while 1,002 fresh cases took the states infection tally to 25,889. A total of 1,055 patients were discharged after recovering from the infection. So far, 16,790 people have been cured, while there are 8,463 active cases in the state.

Kerala continued to witness a spike in COVID-19 infections reporting 1,417 cases, including 36 health workers, as the death toll climbed to 120 with five more fatalities. As many as 1,426 people recovered from the infection on Tuesday. At least 1,242 had been infected through contact and the infection source of 105 people was not known.

Related News: States must not get overawed by rise in daily COVID cases: Health Min

The number of coronavirus cases in Madhya Pradesh rose to 40,734 after 843 more people tested positive. The death toll reached 1,033 with 18 patients succumbing since Monday evening. Six patients died in Bhopal, three in Indore, two each in Jabalpur and Seoni, and one each in Gwalior, Khargone, Sehore, Hoshangabad and Singrauli.

The Centre has set up an expert committee, headed by NITI Aayog member VK Paul, which will meet on Wednesday to consider the logistics and ethical aspects of procuring and administering the COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, three vaccine candidates are in different stages of human clinical trials in India.

The committee on vaccine administration will engage with all stakeholders including state governments and vaccine manufacturers and its terms of reference include selecting suitable vaccines, their procurement and delivery and prioritising groups to administer them, the Union Health Ministry said.

“It will also look into aspects related to logistics like cold chain and inventory, the arrangement of resources for procuring the vaccine and issues of equity. This expert group will continue its engagement with all state governments and vaccine manufacturers in India,” said Health Ministry Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.