20,000 CASES TAKE INDIA’S TALLY TO 6.25L

In the biggest jump in fresh Coronavirus cases in a single day, India on Friday registered 20,903 new cases taking the country’s total to 6,25,544 while the death toll climbed to 18,213 with 379 new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry data. However, the recovery rate is now

60.73 per cent, after a sharp rise of recoveries was observed with 20,033 patients having been cured in a day, taking the cumulative figure to

3,79,891. At present, there are 2,27,439 active cases of the deadly virus in the country under medical supervision. The doubling rate of cases is now 32 days. While the largest numbers of cases continue to come from Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Delhi, fresh cases are also increasing in UP and Assam.

Health ministry officials claimed that testing has been intensified big time and so far 92,97,749 samples have been tested. The ICMR said after setting up a lab for RTPCR testing in Ladakh, rapid antigen testing kits have now reached Leh.

Meanwhile, while issuing the revised guidelines for home isolation, Union Health ministry has now included asymptomatic positive patients in the list of mild or pre-symptomatic coronavirus infection cases who can stay at home and take treatment. This guideline was issued after a large number of people testing positive are not showing symptoms. However, immunocompromised patients (included HIV, transplant recipients, cancer therapy) are not eligible for home isolation.