Medical staff seen guiding the patients outside the Special Covid Ward at the LNJP hospital, which is treating most of the Coronavirus patients in New Delhi on June 1, 2020.

Medical staff seen guiding the patients outside the Special Covid Ward at the LNJP hospital, which is treating most of the Coronavirus patients in New Delhi on June 1, 2020.   | Photo Credit:
R.V. Moorthy


Smokers with weaker lungs at greater risk, says Ministry

The number of new COVID-19 cases in the country continued to rise with 8,392 positive cases recorded in the last 24 hours, even as the death toll rose to 5,604. The total number of cases in the country now stands at 1,98,182 including 96,988 active cases while 94,036 persons have been cured/discharged/migrated, according to data from the State Health departments.

The national recovery rate now stands at 48.19% while the case fatality rate is 2.83%, the Union Health Ministry said in a release on Monday.

Helpline numbers | Interactive map of confirmed coronavirus cases in India | State-wise tracker for coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates | Download The Hindu’s multi-language e-book on essential COVID-19 information

“The recovery rate on May 18 was 38.29 % when the case fatality at this time was 3.15%,” the release said.

In a warning, the Ministry said that as COVID-19 primarily attacks lungs which can be impaired by smokin