Coronavirus Live Updates: A huge spike of 22,771 new coronavirus patients was recorded in the last 24 hours, taking India's tally to 6,48,315 cases. A total of 18,655 patients have died since the beginning of the pandemic, the Union Health Ministry said this morning. The number of recoveries stands at 3,94,227. The recovery rate has improved to 60.80 per cent. There are 2,35,433 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country at present.
Maharashtra continues to remain the worst-hit state with over 1,92,990 infections. The death count due to the pandemic rose to 8,376 after 198 new deaths reported on Friday, a health department statement said.
The first made-in-India coronavirus vaccine may be launched by August 15, with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) fast-tracking efforts to develop "Covaxin" in partnership with Bharat Biotech International Limited. A dozen institutes have been selected for clinical trials of the indigenous COVID-19 vaccine (BBV152 COVID vaccine), the government's top medical research body has said.
Worldwide, scientists are racing to produce a vaccine for the deadly virus that has infected over 10 million, including 600,000 in India, and caused more than 500,000 deaths.
Here are the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases In India Live Updates:
Assam registered 1,202 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, its highest single-day spike in the number of infections so far, taking the tally in the state to over 11,000, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
The World Health Organisation on Saturday has stopped its trials of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and combination of HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir for the treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 patients after they failed to reduce the death rate, Al Jazeera reported.
The Delhi government has directed district magistrates to start COVID-19 survey outside containment zones, focusing on vulnerable sections in areas with sporadic cases, sources said on Saturday.
Earlier this week, the Union Home Ministry had said door-to-door survey would be completed in coronavirus containment zones of Delhi by July 6, followed by a similar exercise across the national capital.
"Now, the survey will be expanded in its scope beyond containment zones, focusing in areas where isolated cases have been reported. Vulnerable people who live in such areas will be priority as they are likely to catch infections rather more frequently," a source said.
The door-to-door survey in containment zones was near complete when the home ministry issued its direction on last Monday.
Delhi recorded 2,505 fresh coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking the tally in the city to over 97,000, while the death count from the disease mounted to 3,004, authorities said.
The Odisha government on Saturday declared complete shutdown in Cuttack till July 8 amid rising COVID-19 cases.
All non-essential shops will be closed and non-essential travel prohibited, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) said in a notification.
Grocery, vegetable and milk shops can remain open from 5 am to 6 pm, while strictly adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols.
Cuttack's COVID-19 tally surged to 116, including 92 active cases.
Thirteen children have tested positive for COVID-19 in a juvenile facility in Noida.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Pune district reached 27,311 after 1,168 people tested positive for novel coronavirus on Saturday, an official said.
The death count reached 835 as 31 people died due to the infection during the day, he added.
Of the 1,168 cases, Pune city accounted for 816 and Pimpri Chinchwad 226.
With this, the number of cases in Pune city crossed the 20,000-mark and stood at 20,588, while the count in Pimpri Chinchwad was 4,398, he added.
As many as eight deaths and 227 new coronavirus cases were reported in Jammu and Kashmir in last 24 hours, said the health department.
The total number of cases in the Union Territory now stands at 8,246.
According to an official bulletin by the J-K Administration, out of the total COVID-19 cases, recovered cases are 5,143, active cases are 2,976, and the death toll stands at 127.
Gujarat on Saturday reported 712 new cases of COVID-19 taking the total count of cases to 35,398.
According to Gujarat Health Department, 712 new cases of COVID-19 and 21 deaths were reported in the state in the last 24 hours.
The total cases include 25,414 recoveries and 1,927 deaths.
Uttar Pradesh on Saturday reported 772 new cases of COVID-19, taking the total number of active cases in the state to 7,627.
As many as 773 people have succumbed to the COVID-19 infection in the state till date.
"Uttar Pradesh reported 772 new COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking active cases to 7,627 and death toll to 773," as per the state's Health Department.
In the state, 18,154 coronavirus patients have been discharged so far, according to Uttar Pradesh Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad.
The Haryana government will make arrangements to bring water from the Ganga river in Haridwar to the state on Maha Shivratri during the Shravan month this year. However, the state government has decided not to allow kanwariyas to proceed on kanwariya yatras this year due to the coronavirus pandemic."
Amid several grim reports of COVID-19 patients struggling to get admission to hospitals in Bengaluru, the Karnataka government has come up with a system for shifting of patients in and around the city and bed allocation to them."
The number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra has crossed the two lakh-mark with 7,074 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. The state has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in India, followed by Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Gujarat."
Gujarat reported its highest single-day spike of 712 coronavirus cases today which took the number of cases in the state to 35,398, the health department said."
The safety and interest of Indians is the topmost priority, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Saturday after a memo from the agency triggered an uproar for setting August 15 as a target for developing a coronavirus vaccine, from both medical experts and the opposition."
Andhra Pradesh recorded 765 new #COVID19 cases and 12 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking total number of cases to 17699 out of which 9473 cases are active and 8008 have recovered. Number of deaths due to the disease rises to 218: State Health Department pic.twitter.com/Nq3cj9BmuB
- ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2020
Doctors are our frontline warriors battling the pandemic. Govt has taken all necessary measures to ensure safety of our doctors. I have taken note of supply of defective masks & PPE kits to KIMS doctors & ordered an enquiry. Management will be held responsible if found guilty. pic.twitter.com/aYI27eHHj5
- Dr Sudhakar K (@mla_sudhakar) July 4, 2020
So far, 11,300 'Make In India' ventilators have been dispatched; 6154 delivered to hospitals. Ministry of Health is also supplying 1.02 lakh oxygen cylinders across India; 72,293 delivered: Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare pic.twitter.com/3wduVMLiKH
- ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2020
The US notched 57,683 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours Friday, a tally by Johns Hopkins University showed, the third consecutive day with record numbers of new infections.
Maharashtra reported another single-day highest increase in coronavirus cases on Friday with 6,364 new patients being detected, which took the case count in the state to 1,92,990. Read more here
Tamil Nadu, the second worst coronavirus hit state in the country, on Friday crossed the one lakh-mark as 4,329 people tested positive for the highly infectious virus in a day.