NEW DELHI: With 22,771 people testing positive for the novel coronavirus in a day, the highest so far, India’s Covid-19 tally climbed to 6,48,315 on Saturday, while the death toll rose to 18,655 with 442 new fatalities, according to the Union health ministry’s data.
With a steady rise, the number of recoveries stands at 3,94,226 with 14,335 Covid-19 patients having been cured in the last 24 hours, according to the updated data.
Here are the top developments:
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India
- The number of recovered patients exceeded the active cases by 1,58,793 as of Saturday. There are 2,35,433 active cases of Covid-19 presently in the country, the data showed.
- The Union health ministry said the recovery rate has further increased to 60.81 per cent in the country.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the BJP workers said that the danger of Covid-19 remains and while the festival season is set to begin, we should be aware and spread awareness about the coronavirus.
- Even as the World Health Organisation lauded the Indian government for its efforts in tackling Covid-19, the world nodal health agency said that India should also focus on data management originating from the pandemic.
- As experts cautioned against rushing the process for developing a Covid-19 vaccine after the ICMR stated it plans to launch one by August 15, the apex health research body stressed that it is acting in accordance with the globally accepted norms to fast-track vaccine development for diseases of pandemic potential.
- Union minister Jitendra Singh said the women in the northeast are taking the lead in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and helping the region emerge as a model for Covid-19 management.
- As many as 11,300 ‘Made in India’ ventilators have been dispatched so far and 6,154 have been delivered to the hospitals, said Dr Harsh Vardhan said.
- Researchers, led by an Indian scientist, have developed a cheap, electricity-free centrifuge to separate components in patient saliva samples for