India Crosses 65 Lakh Coronavirus Cases, 75,829 New Cases In A Day: 10 Points

India has scaled up its testing capacity from one in January to more than 7.7 crore in October. With progressively falling positivity rate, testing has worked as an effective tool to limit the spread of COVID-19 infection, according to Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

States of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Punjab reported the highest deaths in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra - one of the worst-hit state with more than 14 lakh cases -- accounted for 20 per cent of the new daily cases, followed by Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. 

India's total recoveries crossed 55 lakh today, taking the national recovery rate to 84.13 per cent, according to health ministry data. The ministry said 75.44 per cent of the newly recovered cases are recorded in 10 states and Union Territories. Though Maharashtra continues to report the highest number of active cases, it also has the most number of recovered cases followed by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

India added 23 lakh fresh coronavirus cases or 40 per cent of the country's current COVID-19 tally in the month of September alone, government data shows. September also saw one-third of the Covid-related deaths reported since the pandemic began. As per data, the country has been reporting more than 1,000 deaths a day for the past month, with the exception of September 28.

In a huge relief for passengers ahead of the festive season, the Railways has allowed the sale of cooked food at its catering and vending units on stations for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak but said the food plazas, Jan Ahars, cell kitchens, and refreshment rooms will open only for takeaways. Stalls on platforms have been shut throughout the novel coronavirus-induced lockdown, which was imposed on March 25 to check the spread of the infection.

US President Donald Trump said in a video released on Twitter Saturday night that he was feeling "much better" in his battle against the coronavirus -- but the next few days would be "the real test." The 74-year-old assured the public of his progress hours after a source with knowledge of the president's condition had warned his vital signs were worrying, with the next 48 hours critical.

India is in the third spot in terms of fatalities globally after the US and Brazil, according to Johns Hopkins University, which has been compiling COVID-19 data from all over the world.

A vaccine against coronavirus, being developed together by scientists at the University of Oxford and pharma giant AstraZeneca, may be cleared by health regulators by the end of this year, according to a UK media report. The vaccine candidate is the furthest in the process of trials, according to a report in The Times quoting British government sources. "We are looking at closer to six months and it is likely to be far shorter than that," one such source said.

As some people discourage the use of face mask claiming it may be a health risk, researchers from American Thoracic Society have said face masks are unlikely to cause over-exposure to carbon dioxide, even in patients with lung disease.

Globally, more than 3.4 crore people have been infected by the novel coronavirus, which broke out in China's Wuhan less than a year ago. At least 10 lakh people have lost their lives to COVID-19.