448 Covid deaths in Delhi, 3.57L test +ve across India

‘RT PCR test of healthy individuals for domestic travel may go soon’

With over 3.5 lakh new Covid-19 cases, India crossed the 2-crore mark on Tuesday. The health ministry data shows that India recorded 3,57,229 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours and 3,449 Indians lost their lives due to Covid-19 infection and related complications. Delhi saw the biggest spike in fatalities with 448 Covid deaths, while Maharashtra showed a steady decline in coronavirus cases. Tuesday’s tally saw a minor dip in the fatality numbers. While that is encouraging, what's crucial is to see whether there has been any change in the testing numbers or not.

Even the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 has been suspended indefinitely on Tuesday after two players tested positive.

Maharashtra reported 51,880 new Covid-19 positive cases, 65,934 recoveries and 891 deaths in the last 24 hours. Mumbai reported 2,554 new cases, 5,240 recoveries and 62 deaths. Himachal Pradesh recorded 48 deaths and 3,824 Covid cases in a single day.

Karnataka reported 44,631 new Covid cases. Kerala on Tuesday logged 37,190 fresh COVID-19 cases, while 26,148 people were cured of the infection, taking the caseload to 17,01,979 and recoveries to 13.39 lakh, the state government said. The toll, however, mounted to 5,507 with 57 more deaths.

Goa reported 2,814 new Covid-19 cases, 52 deaths and 1,870 recoveries in the last 24 hours. The active cases stand at 26,731. Manipur reported

433 new Covid positive cases, 2 deaths and 111 recoveries in the last 24 hours. Total cases stand at 32,956 and active cases at 2,391.

UP reported 25,858 new cases and 352 fatalities in the last 24 hours, as per the state health department. Meanwhile, the ICMR has issued an advisory for Covid testing, saying that laboratories are facing challenges in meeting the expected target due to the extraordinary caseload and staff contracting the infection. According to the advisory, RT PCR test must not be repeated in any individual who has tested positive once either by RAT or RT PCR. According to the Union health ministry's discharge policy, no testing is required for Covid recovered individuals at the time of discharge, the document states.

“The need of RT PCR test in healthy individuals undertaking interstate domestic travel may be completely removed to reduce load on laboratories,” the guidelines state.