Virus cases cross 800,000, death toll mounts to 21,600
Minister claims recovery rate stands at 63% and mortality rate is just 2.72%, adding that ‘we are ramping up testing;’ COVID-19 hits a third minister as TN tops testing
India was nearing the 800,000 mark in coronavirus ( COVID-19) cases on Friday, with the highest single-day spike of over 26,502 new cases and 475 deaths in the last 24 hours.
The total stood at 7,93,802 as of Friday morning, and 21,604 deaths were recorded. On Tuesday, the count was 700,000 plus. A 100,000 climb happened within three days. However, officials stressed that 4,95,513 patients have recovered, even as 2,76,685 remain active.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan claimed that recovery rate stands at about 63% and mortality rate is just 2.72%.
“We are not concerned about the number of cases. We are ramping up testing so that maximum cases can be detected and treated.” he said.
Maharashtra remains the worst-hit state, with cases reaching up to 2,30,599 and 9,667 casualties so far. The state announced a 10-day lockdown of Pune city. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said it will be a strict lockdown in Pune and Pimpari Chinchwad areas from July 13 for the next 10 days. Aurangabad is already under a 10-day curfew.
In Utar Pradesh, a 55-hour lockdown was coming into force from 10pm on Friday.
Only emergency and essential services will remain available during this period. The number of active infections in the state has reached 10,373.
All offices, markets, rural haats, mandis and commercial establishments will remain closed. However, doorstep delivery will be allowed.
But Utar Pradesh hasn’t curbed public transport. Buses, trains and flights are allowed. National and state highways will remain open. Petrol pumps and dhabas along these highways will be allowed to operate.
Separately on Friday Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanded cancellation of university exams. He urged the University Grants Commission to promote students on the basis of their past performances.
“Covid has harmed many people. Students in schools, colleges and universities are being made to suffer. While the IITS and colleges have cancelled exams and have promoted students, the UGC is creating confusion. UGC should also cancel the exams and promote students on the basis of past performance,” he said.
MINISTER INFECTED: A state minister was among those who tested positive on Friday as COVID-19 cases shot up again in Tamil Nadu. Ater a few days of slow dip in numbers, cases soared beyond 4,000 again, hiting 4,231.
Minister for Cooperation Sellur K Raju was diagnosed with coronavirus and was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai. On July 4, Raju’s wife Jayanthi was tested positive for the infection and was admited to a private hospital in Manappakkam. He then underwent the swab test and the result turned out to be negative. On a repeat test on Friday, however, he was found positive.
Raju is the third minister to test positive, ater KP Anbazhagan and P Thangamani.
At the same time, officials stressed that Tamil Nadu, among the top three COVID-19 hit states in India, stands number one in terms of testing. The state has done the maximum number of tests in the country and is nearing 1.5 million, according to estimates. On Thursday itself, 41,038 people were tested.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday held discussion with the Central team which is in Chennai to review the coronavirus situation. The team, led by Additional Secretary from the Union Ministry of Health, Arti Ahuja, assessed the state’s containment strategy on the ground and will submit a report to the Union government soon.
On Thursday, they visited the exclusive COVID-19 hospital at the Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital at Omandurar estate in Chennai.
Health officials said 25 people under treatment for COVID-19, including a baby of 18 months, have died in the city. The state reported 65 deaths as of Friday morning, taking the total to 1,765.
The state reported 4,231 more infections, and the total stood at 1,26,581 including 46,652 active cases.