India logs in nearly 30K COVID cases in 24 hrs, tally at 9,36,181

The country on Wednesday (July 15) recorded 29,429 COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day surge so far, taking its total infections to 9,36,181 while the death toll rose to 24,309 with 582 new fatalities, as per Union Health Ministry data.

This is the fourth consecutive day that has seen cases rise by more than 28,000.

The number of recoveries stands at 5,92,031, while there are 3,19,840 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country.

“Thus, around 63.24 per cent of patients have recovered so far,” an official told PTI.

The health ministry on Tuesday had asserted that the growth rate of COVID-19 infections has, however, seen a slump if compared to that in March.

“If we see in the month of March, the daily growth rate of COVID-19 cases was 31.28 per cent, in May it was 9.27 per cent and further reduced to 4.82 per cent in May end and if we see the figures of July 12, the growth rate for newer cases is at 3.24 per cent. There is a progressive decline in the daily growth rate of new cases,” Hindustan Times quoted Rajesh Bhushan, the health ministry’s officer on special duty as saying.

While Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have 50 per cent of the active cases, Delhi, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Gujarat and Assam have 36 per cent of the active cases, the report said.

While Maharashtra has reported the highest number of cases (2,67,665), Mumbai which logged in 6,741 new cases on Tuesday, is expected to touch the 1 lakh-mark by the end of this week, reports said. The fatality rate in the state, however, has come down from 4.5 per cent to 4 per cent.

In view of the rise in cases, various state governments have imposed lockdowns. While West Bengal has extended lockdown in 605 containment zones till July 19, Bihar has ordered a complete weeklong lockdown from July 16. The Tripura government too has imposed a weeklong complete lockdown within 1 km in rural areas and 0.5 km in urban areas along its border with Bangladesh from July 17.

In terms of cases, Maharashtra is followed by Tamil Nadu at 1,47,324, Delhi at 1,15,346, Karnataka at 44,077, Gujarat at 43,637, Uttar Pradesh at 39,724 and Telangana at 37,745. The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 33,019 in Andhra Pradesh, 32,838 in West Bengal, 25,571 in Rajasthan, 22,628 in Haryana, 19,284 in Bihar and 19,005 in Madhya Pradesh. Assam has instances of 17,807 infections, Odisha 14,280 and Jammu and Kashmir 11,173 cases. Punjab has reported 8,511 novel coronavirus infections so far, while Kerala has 8,930 cases.

“Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR,” the ministry said, adding that 1,524 cases are being reassigned to states.

Of the 582 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, 213 are from Maharashtra, 85 from Karnataka, 67 from Tamil Nadu, 43 from Andhra Pradesh, 35 from Delhi, 28 from Uttar Pradesh, 24 from West Bengal, 14 each from Bihar and Gujarat, 10 each from Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. Punjab has reported nine fatalities followed by Jammu and Kashmir with eight, Assam, Haryana and Odisha four each, Jharkhand three, Chandigarh two while Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Kerala and Uttarakhand have one death each.

According to the ICMR, a cumulative total of 1,24,12,664 samples have been tested up to July 14 with 3,20,161 samples being tested on Tuesday. Of the total 24,309 deaths reported so far,

Maharashtra accounted for the highest 10,695 fatalities followed by Delhi with 3,446 deaths, Gujarat 2,069, Tamil Nadu 2,099, Uttar Pradesh 983, West Bengal 980, Karnataka 842,  Madhya Pradesh 673 and Rajasthan 525.  So far 408 people have died of COVID-19 in Andhra Pradesh each, 375 in Telangana, 312 in Haryana, 213 in Punjab, 195 in Jammu and Kashmir, 174 in Bihar, 74 in Odisha, 50 in Uttarakhand, 40 in Assam, 36 in Jharkhand and 34 in Kerala. Chhattisgarh has registered 20 deaths, Puducherry and Goa 18 each, Himachal Pradesh 11, Chandigarh 10, Arunachal Pradesh three, Meghalaya and Tripura two each and Ladakh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu together have reported one fatality each. The Health Ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

(With inputs from agencies)