India recorded more than 40,000 fresh COVID-19 cases, while its active caseload is now more than 4,00,000 today, according to Union health ministry data.
India recorded 41,649 new coronavirus infections that pushed its tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,16,13,993 while the number of deaths climbed to 4,23,810 with 593 deaths in the last 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The active cases have increased to 4,08,920 and comprise 1.29 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate is 97.37 per cent, it stated.
The daily positivity rate has increased to 2.34 per cent. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.42 per cent, the ministry data stated.
Meanwhile, with more than 50 per cent of its population still not infected, the current Covid trend was always expected in the state, especially given its peculiar characteristics, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said on Friday. What is being seen now, she reiterated, was a result of a well-planned strategy to handle the pandemic.
Citing a number of parameters that indicate "our defensive measures were very good", Ms George said the focus right now is on vaccines, something the state is running out of quickly.
Here are the LIVE updates on India coronavirus (COVID-19) cases:
Assam reports 989 new #COVID cases, 1,480 recoveries and 19 deaths in the last 24 hours.
- ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2021
Active cases: 11,975
Total cases: 5,66,198 pic.twitter.com/ez0YEFJ5lv
Telangana recorded 621 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the tally to 6,44,951, while the death count rose to 3,802 with two more fatalities. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 80, followed by Karimnagar (67) and Warangal Urban (54) districts, a state government bulletin said, providing details as of 5:30 pm.

Maharashtra on Saturday reported 225 fresh COVID-19 fatalities and 6,959 cases while 7,467 patients recovered, a health official said.
Meghalaya reported 686 new COVID-19 cases, which took the tally in the state to 65,000, a health department official said. The death count rose to 1,085 as 12 more people died due to the infection during the day, Health Services Director Aman War said.

Kerala recorded more than 20,000 fresh COVID-19 cases on Saturday, but saw a decline in fatalities and a fall in the Test Positivity Rate to 12.31 per cent.
In view of high test positivity rate of state, central team visited our district as well. It was a wonderful meeting, we discussed current status of the dist & our strategies from the Health Dept & Dist Admn to contain the pandemic: Dr Arun S Nair, Dy Collector, Kollam, Kerala pic.twitter.com/VEgSd1m1f3
- ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2021
Delhi reports 58 new #COVID19 cases, 56 recoveries and one death today.
- ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2021
Total cases 14,36,265
Total recoveries 14,10,631
Death toll 25,053
Active cases 581 pic.twitter.com/YxiVVrlLiS

More than 1 crore vaccine doses have been given in Delhi so far, and nearly 50 per cent of the national capital's adult population has got at least one shot, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said today.
For two consecutive days, there has been a near-stampede like situation at a vaccine centre in #Hyderabad, amid a shortage in #Covaxin supply.
- NDTV (@ndtv) July 31, 2021
NDTV's Uma Sudhir reports pic.twitter.com/kP0K88YExm
"There is no room for vaccine hesitancy. Vaccination drive against COVID-19 should become pan-India ''Jan Andolan'' with increased participation from all sections of the people," Mr Naidu said as tweeted by Vice President Secretariat.
The country has banned its citizens and permanent residents from travelling to Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, India, Mexico, Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Spain and Kyrgyzstan unless they can obtain special permission from an exception committee, the ministry said in a joint statement, ANI reported.
"Health Department has made arrangements in villages as well as in cities but we need cooperation from people. COVID-19 cases have just been reduced but has not ended. People need to continue following COVID protocols to prevent the third wave," Anil Vij said ANI.