Former President Pranab Mukherjee this afternoon said that he has tested positive for coronavirus. In a tweet, Mr Mukherjee, who was India's president between 2012 and 2017, urged all those, who have come in contact with him in the last week, to isolate themselves as a precaution and get tested for COVID-19. The outbreak has affected over 22 lakh people in the country.
"On a visit to the hospital for a separate procedure, I have tested positive for COVID19 today. I request the people who came in contact with me in the last week, to please self isolate and get tested for COVID-19. #CitizenMukherjee," the 84-year-old Congress leader tweeted today.
India's coronavirus tally crossed 22 lakh cases this morning with over 62,000 new patients recorded in the last 24 hours, the government said today, adding that more than 44 thousand deaths linked to the highly contagious illness have been recorded since the beginning of the pandemic.
Over 15.3 lakh Covid patients in the country have recovered so far, the Union Health Ministry said today. The recovery rate stood at 69.33 per cent this morning.
This is the fourth consecutive day that India has recorded more than 60,000 fresh infections in a day. More than 2 lakh cases have been recorded since Thursday (August 6) when the country's coronavirus cases passed 20 lakh, just three weeks after crossing the 10 lakh mark.
Here are the updates on coronavirus (COVID-19) cases:
US President Donald Trump on said that India stands second in terms of coronavirus testing while no other country comes close to the United States. According to Donald Trump, while the US has tested close to 65 million people for coronavirus, India would be second with 11 million tests. "We have tested close to 65 million people and no country is even close to that number. India would be second at 11 million (tests) and they have 1.5 billion people. We have the number one testing in the world by far and also the highest quality tests," Donald Trump told reporters.
The Punjab government will distribute smartphones to young people across the state on August 12 as part of a scheme to help them access education-related content online during the coronavirus lockdown, as well as other learning material posted by the Department of School Education.
Announcing the scheme today, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the state government had fulfilled its promise to the people, and the youth, in particular, by providing state-of-the-art smartphones.
The Chief Minister also said that due to restrictions on movement and large gatherings, in place due to the Covid outbreak, the launch of the scheme would be split between 26 different locations in Chandigarh and across Punjab.
Tamil Nadu on Monday crossed three-lakh COVID-19 cases while the death count crossed the 5,000 mark with the addition of 114 fatalities.
With 5,914 new cases, the infection tally touched 3,02,815 and the 100 plus deaths for the eighth consecutive day took the count to 5,041, a government COVID bulletin said.
The state took just 16 days to reach the three lakh mark compared to the 22 days it had taken for the two lakh milestone on July 25. The one lakh tally was recorded on July 3.
The 6,037 recoveries on Monday eclipsed the fresh infections and cumulatively 2,44,675 people have got cured so far and only 53,099 were the active cases.
A four month-old girl child, a 14 year-old boy, four women, aged 21, 25, 27 and 32, and two men in their 30s were among those who succumbed to the virus on Monday.

A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) rank official died due to COVID-19 at a private hospital in Hyderabad on Monday, police said.
2,905 new #COVID19 cases reported in West Bengal today, taking the total number of cases in the state to 98,459. The total numbers of active and discharged cases are 26,031 and 70,328 respectively: State Health Department pic.twitter.com/wnhxv8KQuy
- ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2020
Lockdown in Andaman and Nicobar Islands extended for one week from tomorrow; reduced number of flights and ships to operate: Chetan Sanghi, Chief Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Islands pic.twitter.com/8PlwB3IzSf
- ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2020

Delhi recorded 707 fresh coronavirus cases on Monday, taking the tally in the city to over 1.46 lakh, while the death count from the disease mounted to 4,131, authorities said.
Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today visited Army's Research and Referral (R&R) Hospital to enquire about the health of former President Pranab Mukherjee, who is admitted at the hospital after testing positive for #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/Tm8BnTo6hT
- ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2020
Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa was today discharged from Manipal Hospitals in Bengaluru after he recovered from #COVID19: Karnataka Chief Minister's Office (CMO)
- ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2020
The CM had tested positive for the disease on August 2. pic.twitter.com/j9XIanY7FH
Maharashtra: Idol makers from Pune say #COVID19 has affected their businesses as they have not got orders for Ganesh idols ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi.
- ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2020
An idol maker says, "We don't have any bookings. We are dependent on this festival but people are afraid of stepping out." pic.twitter.com/xwSBeQIXxO
Andhra Pradesh: Gyms reopen in Hyderabad as part of #Unlock3. A customer says, "We bring our own water bottles and towels. Only some people are allowed at a time and we are taking precautions against #COVID19." pic.twitter.com/0L25eXxFG3
- ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2020
On a visit to the hospital for a separate procedure, I have tested positive for COVID19 today.
- Pranab Mukherjee (@CitiznMukherjee) August 10, 2020
I request the people who came in contact with me in the last week, to please self isolate and get tested for COVID-19. #CitizenMukherjee
Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath holds a meeting with the officers of 'COVID-19 management team-11'. pic.twitter.com/6zuLMHbsx3
- ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 10, 2020
The total number of #COVID19 samples tested up to 9th August is 2,45,83,558 including 4,77,023 samples tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) pic.twitter.com/GrQ6CNtYXn
- ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2020
Tamil Nadu:Gyms reopen in Chennai as part of #UNLOCK3.
- ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2020
Asian Powerlifting Championship gold medalist Arthi Arun says,"Sports community to be benefitted by this move. In Dec, we've Asian Championship in Indonesia.Due to lockdown, it'll be a bigger challenge for me but I accept it" pic.twitter.com/dMTEpDRmyk
#VandeBharatMission continues to bring home stranded Indian Nationals. It has facilitated the travel of over a million stranded Indian nationals so far. Another Special flight, AI- 301 Sydney-Delhi sector left Sydney airport today: Consulate General of India, Sydney pic.twitter.com/Iq9EFYZkPN
- ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2020

India has scaled the peak of COVID-19 testing with more than seven lakh tests in a single day, the country has conducted nearly 500 tests per minute in the last 24 hours, a senior health ministry official said.