India’s COVID-19 cases cross 5 million

NEW DELHI — India yesterday reported 1 290 deaths, so far the highest singleday spike in fatalities related to COVID-19, pushing the death toll to 82 066 because of the pandemic.

The infection tally across the country has crossed the five million mark and reached 5 020 359.

According to the federal health ministry, 90 123 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the past 24 hours.

“At present 995 933 cases are active and 3 942 360 have been discharged from hospital,” the ministry said.

The case fatality rate of the disease in India is 1,63% and 19,83% cases are active in the country.

The recovery rate, however, stands at 78,52%.

During the past week, the country recorded more than 90 000 new cases everyday barring Tuesday.

In the entire country, Maharashtra remains the worst affected state by the pandemic with a tally of 10 97 856 cases.

Over 37% of cumulative deaths reported so far in the country are from Maharashtra.

According to the ministry, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh continue to report the highest number of active cases, accounting for close to 60% of the total cases in the country.

A sero-prevalance survey conducted in the Indian capital in the first week of August has found that 30% or 79 of the 257 people who recovered from COVID-19 did not have antibodies against the virus, making them vulnerable to re-infection.

Meanwhile, India’ s drugs controller general has revoked its earlier order to suspend any new recruitment for phase 2 and phase 3 trial, and has given permission to Serum Institute of India to resume the trials.

On Sunday, India’s Health minister Harsh Vardhan said a COVID-19 vaccine might be ready by the first quarter of next year.

“Several vaccine trials are ongoing in India. At present, we can’t predict which one will emerge as the most effective. But by the first quarter of 2021, we will definitely know the results,” Vardhan said.

“A vaccine expert group has been set up, which is overseeing the entire process. While the trial results get assessed, the manufacturers will be advised to begin mass-production so that no time is wasted.”