Coronavirus: India records biggest spike for second consecutive day
India on Friday detected roughly 6,500 fresh cases of COVID-19, marking the highest single-jump day in coronavirus infections for the second consecutive day. The nationwide tally now stands at 1.24 lakh while the death toll rose to 3,726. Independently, four states—Maharashtra, Delhi, Assam, and Chhattisgarh—also recorded their biggest spikes. The government said that the lockdown prevented 20 lakh more COVID-19 cases, 54,000 more deaths.
Till 8 am on Friday, the Union Health Ministry had confirmed 1,18,447 COVID-19 cases, including 3,583 deaths, 66,330 active cases, and 48,533 recoveries. According to data compiled from official state and union territory government statistics, India has reported 1,23,168 cases and 3,726 deaths (including co-morbid fatalities). With the addition of 1,620 cases the Centre has yet to assign to states, the tally reaches 1,24,788.
Till Friday, Maharashtra reported 44,582 COVID-19 cases with 1,517 deaths. Tamil Nadu's COVID-19 cases rose to 14,753 with 99 deaths. Further, Gujarat reported 13,268 cases (including 802 deaths), Delhi reported 12,319 cases (including 208 deaths), Rajasthan reported 6,494 cases (including 153 deaths), Madhya Pradesh reported 6,170 cases (including 272 deaths), and Uttar Pradesh reported 5,735 cases (including 152 deaths).
Maharashtra reported 2,940 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. Notably, the state also recorded 63 fresh deaths. With 660 new cases, Delhi recorded its biggest spike for the fourth consecutive day. Assam recorded 49 new cases. The state's total tally now stands at 259, including four deaths. Chhattisgarh recorded 44 new cases, most of them migrant workers, taking the state's tally to 172.
Kerala saw its biggest spike in about two months, with 42 new cases. A 73-year-old woman, who had returned from Mumbai, also died in Thrissur. Thus far, Kerala has reported 732 cases with four deaths (excluding the death of a Mahe native who died in Kannur). Haryana recorded a new death, a 75-year-old man in Gurugram. The state's death toll is now 16.
Goa recorded two new COVID-19 cases, taking its tally to 54. The total number of recoveries in the state rose to 16. Bihar's death toll rose to 11, while the number of cases stood at 2,166. Manipur reported one new case, taking its total tally to 26. Two Iran returnees tested positive in Ladakh's Kargil district, taking the union territory's tally to 46.
The government said that due to the lockdown, India averted 20 lakh more COVID-19 cases and 54,000 more deaths. The Indian Council of Medical Research revised its advisory on the use of hydroxychloroquine as a preventive treatment for COVID-19. Now, asymptomatic healthcare workers working in non-COVID hospitals in areas of COVID hospitals/blocks can be administered the treatment along with all asymptomatic frontline workers.
