Coronavirus: India reports 19K new cases, nearly 60% in Kerala
What's the story
India on Thursday reported roughly 19,000 new COVID-19 cases, out of which, nearly 60% were concentrated in Kerala alone.
Kerala recorded over 10,000 cases after three days, also witnessing a marginal rise in the daily positivity rate.
Across India, the daily positivity rate stood at 1.46%.
Active cases hit a 215-day low, amounting to just 0.61% of the total cases.
Statistics
India's tally crosses 3.4 crore; over 4.5 lakh dead
According to the Union Health Ministry, till Thursday morning, India reported a total of 3,40,20,730 COVID-19 cases. The death toll has reached 4,51,435.
So far, 3,33,62,709 patients have recovered, while 2,06,586 cases involve active infections.
In the past 24 hours alone, India recorded 18,987 new infections, 19,808 more discharges, and 246 fresh fatalities.
So far, 96,82,20,997 vaccine doses have been administered.
Trend
India's second wave peaked on May 7
India's second wave peaked on May 7, when 4.14 lakh single-day cases were reported, over four times the number of cases reported during the first wave in mid-September 2020.
Although infections have declined since the second wave peaked, India crossed the 3 crore-mark on June 23.
India had crossed the 1 crore-mark on December 19, 2020, and the 2 crore-mark on May 4, 2021.
States
58% new cases concentrated in Kerala
Maharashtra reported 2,219 new COVID-19 cases along with 3,139 more recoveries.
Kerala, the second worst-hit state after Maharashtra, reported 11,079 new cases and 9,972 discharges.
Meanwhile, the third worst-hit Karnataka added 357 new cases and 438 recoveries.
Tamil Nadu, the fourth worst-hit state, reported 1,280 new cases and 1,453 recoveries.
Andhra Pradesh reported 517 new cases and 826 recoveries.
Fungus
New fungus plagues recovered COVID-19 patients
Reportedly, a new fungal infection has started afflicting people who have recovered from COVID-19.
In Pune, COVID-19-recovered patients have reportedly been detected with infections of the fungus aspergillus osteomyelitis in mouth cavities and also the lungs in rare events.
All four patients detected with the fungus were notably treated with steroids after developing a severe case of COVID-19.
COVID-19 origins
New WHO-led group 'last chance' to probe COVID-19 origins
A new advisory group of the World Health Organization (WHO) may be "our last chance" to determine the origins of the SARS-CoV-2, the health agency said Wednesday.
After WHO-led investigations in China, Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the probe was hindered by a lack of data and called for lab audits.
The WHO plans to conduct "more than three dozen recommended studies."