Coronavirus cases in India: It took India just 206 days to cross the 30 lakh-mark. (File)
A single-day spike of 61,408 infections has taken India's coronavirus caseload to 31,06,348, data from the Union Health Ministry this morning showed. The number of deaths climbed to 57,542 with 836 people dying of the disease in a span of 24 hours. Recoveries among COVID-19 patients in the country surged to 23,38,035, pushing India's recovery rate to 75.27 per cent.
Maharashtra accounts for the maximum of cases (6,82,383), followed by Tamil Nadu (3,79,385), Andhra Pradesh (3,53,111), Karnataka (2,77,814), Uttar Pradesh (1,87,781) and Delhi (1,61,466).
It took India just 206 days to cross the 30 lakh-mark. The milestone came just 16 days after the country reported 20 lakh cases, according to data. India logged more than 20 lakh Covid cases on August 7.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said India has been testing around 74.7 people per lakh population, much higher than WHO's guidelines of testing 14 people per lakh population.
Meanwhile, American authorities announced an emergency approval of blood plasma from recovered coronavirus patients as a treatment against the disease that has killed over 176,000 in the US. The Food and Drug Administration's authorization comes as President Donald Trump faces intense pressure to curb the contagion that has hobbled the world's largest economy and clouded his once-promising prospects for re-election in November.
Here are the Highlights on Coronavirus Pandemic:
Gaza reports first COVID-19 cases in general population, declares lockdown
Gaza reported its first cases of COVID-19 in the general population on Monday, as authorities confirmed four infections in a refugee camp and security forces declared a full lockdown for 48 hours.
The cases were from a single family in central Gaza, a government spokesman said, amid concern over the territory's potentially disastrous combination of poverty, densely populated refugee camps and limited hospital capacity."
A full curfew will be imposed starting tonight and in all of the Gaza Strip," said Salama Marouf, chairman of the government's media office.
1,346 new COVID-19 cases in Rajasthan, count rises to 71,955
Rajasthan recorded 12 more deaths due to novel coronavirus on Monday, taking the COVID-19 death count in the state to 967, according to a health department official. The state also saw 1,346 new cases of coronavirus.
The infection count stands at 71,955, out of which, 14,388 people are under treatment, he said. The official said 55,981 people have been discharged after treatment till now.
Sikkim reports 43 new COVID-19 cases
Sikkim on Monday reported 43 new cases of COVID-19, taking the state's tally to 1,446, an official said.
Of the fresh cases, 42 were reported from East Sikkim, while one was detected in the West district, said Information, Education and Communication (IEC) officer Sonam Bhutia.
He briefed the media as Health Secretary Pempa T Bhutia went on quarantine after a person he came in contact with tested positive for COVID-19.
There are 509 active cases in the state at present, while 934 patients have been cured of the disease, he said. Three persons have so far died, he added.
100 more test positive for COVID-19 in Himachal, count rises to 5,102
Himachal Pradesh recorded 100 fresh COVID-19 cases on Monday, taking the state's tally to 5,102, officials said.
A total of 123 people also recovered from the disease, they said.
Of the new cases, 30 were reported from Sirmaur, 16 from Solan, 15 from Kangra, 12 from Una, eight from Chamba, six from Bilaspur, four from Mandi, three each from Kinnaur and Hamirpur, two from Shimla, and one from Kullu, Special Secretary (Health) Nipun Jindal said.
One model community health center to be set up in every assembly constituency in Rajasthan amid pandemic
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Monday said one model community health center (CHC) will be set up in each assembly constituency of the state so that there is no dearth of medical facilities during the coronavirus pandemic.
He asked the Health Department to prepare a draft and complete necessary preparations for the purpose.
Funds will be provided from the MLA Development Fund to procure myriad screening and treatment facilities at these model CHC, he said.
India conducts over 3.6 crore COVID-19 tests, Tests Per Million rises: Health Ministry
In the fight against COVID-19, India has conducted nearly 3.6 crore tests to diagnose coronavirus disease, the nation has also seen a rise in the tests per million per day as advised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) i.e. TPM has currently increased to 26,016, the Health Ministry said on Monday.
WHO in its Guidance Note on "Public Health Criteria to Adjust Public Health and Social Measures in the Context of COVID-19" stated that a country needs 140 tests per day per million population as a measure for comprehensive surveillance for suspected COVID-19 cases.
US Took Cue From "Delhi Model", Adopted Plasma Therapy: AAP GovernmentWhat Delhi did yesterday, America does today, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday as his government claimed that the US adopted the model of convalescent plasma therapy for treatment of critically-ill coronavirus patients, taking a cue from the "Delhi Model" of battling COVID-19.
COVID-19 recovered cases cross one lakh-mark in Bihar
The total number of recovered cases among COVID-19 patients in Bihar crossed the one lakh-mark on Monday, a bulletin issued by the health department said.
The state also reported 17 deaths due to the infection taking the number of fatalities to 627, while its coronavirus tally rose to 1,23,382 after 1,227 fresh cases were reported in the past 24 hours, it said.
Bihar now has 21,393 active cases. While 2,908 patients have recovered from the disease in past 24 hours, altogether 1,01,362 people have been cured of it till date, the bulletin said.
The recovery rate has improved to 82.15 per cent, which is 7 per cent more than the national average.
The bulletin said that 24.94 lakh samples have been tested for COVID-19 so far, which included 62,215 tests conducted in the past 24 hours.
Coronavirus news: Weekly markets reopen in Delhi after 5 monthsWeekly markets reopened in Delhi on Monday after a gap of over 150 days with a number of protective measures against the novel coronavirus such as vendors wearing face masks at all times, space between stalls, sanitiser dispensers and police patrol to check crowding.
The authorities allowed the markets to reopen on a trial basis till August 30.
"Hawkers were instructed not to cause crowding and maintain proper social distance. The were also asked to use mask and sanitiser were provided to them," said Rajkumar Kataria, the general secretary of Pushp Vihar weekly market near Saket court.
Brijesh Goel, the chairman of the Chamber of Trade and Industry, said there are around 2,700 weekly markets in the national capital and their opening will boost the economy of the city.
Mr Goel, who is also the convener of the ruling AAP's traders wing, said that representatives of weekly markets will meet Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday for a discussion on how to put on track their businesses hit by the pandemic.
At the weekly market in Acharya Niketan in Mayur Vihar, hawkers and vendors wore face covers while policemen maintained vigil to ensure social distancing.
Intensify fight against COVID-19, Maharashtra Chief Minister tells civic bodies
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday directed municipal corporations in Thane district to intensify their fight against COVID-19.
These municipal corporations fall under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) which has seen a surge in the new cases and fatalities.
Mr Thackeray reviewed the status of pandemic in Thane district during his visit.
"Civic bodies in Thane district should intensify their fight against COVID-19 with the help of Coorona Vigilance Committees," he said while speaking at a meeting held at the Thane Municipal Corporation.
He said police and municipal corporations should focus on tracking and tracing contacts of COVID-19 patients.
"Chase the virus" campaign should be carried out effectively, he said.
COVID-19: Bihar officials told to strictly follow poll body's guidelines on holding elections during pandemic
The Election Commission on Monday held a video conference meeting with District Magistrates in Bihar asking them to strictly follow the guidelines issued by the poll panel for holding elections during coronavirus pandemic.
The virtual meeting was chaired by Bihars Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) H R Srinivasa, who gave a slew of directions to District Election Officer-cum-District Magistrates about the guidelines issued by the EC on August 21, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Baijunath Singh told PTI.
Bihar may become the first state to go for Assembly elections amid the pandemic. The polls in the state are due in October-November.
As part of the EC guidelines, voters will be provided gloves while using EVMs and COVID-19 patients in quarantine will be allowed to vote at the last hour of the polling day.
COVID-19: More recoveries than fresh cases for 10th day in a row in Nagaland
For the tenth consecutive day on Monday, single-day recoveries outnumbered fresh COVID-19 cases in Nagaland as 102 people were cured of the disease and 28 tested positive for the infection, a health department, official said.
The recovery rate in the state has increased to 64.51 per cent on Monday from 62.23 per cent on Sunday, he said.
Health department officials attributed the increasing number of recoveries to the dedicated care towards coronavirus positive cases and the immunity of patients.
During the day, Minister for Health and Family Welfare S Pangnyu Phom tweeted, "28 new positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported out of 587 samples tested 24 in Kohima, 2 in Dimapur and one each in Longleng and Zunheboto districts.
"Also State reports 102 recoveries of COVID-19 patients 85 from Dimapur and 17 from Kohima."
With the fresh infections, Nagalands coronavirus tally is 3,714, out of which 2,396 have recovered, 1,301 are active, 9 have died and 8 migrated to other states.
As many as 56,901 samples have been tested, the official said.
COVID-19: Kerala's count inching towards 60,000 mark; 11 more deaths takes count to 234
Kerala's infection count is inching towards the 60,000 mark as 1,242 COVID-19 cases were added on Monday, while the death toll climbed to 234 with 11 fatalities.
Thirty four health workers are among those infected.
While the total number of cases touched 59,503, as many as 38,887 people have recovered from the virus, including 1,238 discharged today.
Presently 20,323 people are undergoing treatment, Health minister K K Shailaja said.
The districts which reported over 100 cases are Thiruvananthapuram (182),Malappuram (169), Ernakulam (165), Kasaragod (118) and Kollam (112).
Of the positive cases, as many 1,081 people were infected through contact, the source of infection of 95 was not known.
Thirty nine people had come from abroad and 88 from other states, the minister said in a press release.
At least 1,83,448 people are under observation, of whom 1,66,411are in home/institutionalquarantine and 17,037 in hospitals, including 1,877 admitted today.
COVID-19: Sero survey shows presence of antibodies in 11.81% samples in Maharashtra's Aurangabad
Aurangabad's sero survey has found that 11.81 per cent of the 4,327 respondents have developed antibodies against coronavirus, officials said on Monday.
The survey was conducted by local governing bodies and the health department between August 10 and 16.
"11.81% of citizens (whose samples were taken) have developed antibodies against coronavirus," officials said.
A serological survey is done to detect the presence of specific antibodies, and is used to assess the prevalence of a disease in the population.
While 14.56 per cent respondents from slum areas are found to have antibodies, the same percentage in non-slum areas is 10.64 per cent," a civic official said.
The survey was based on the samples collected from people of different age groups from all 115 wards in Aurangabad city.
Chhattisgarh Assembly session from Tuesday amid COVID-19 protocols
The Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly's monsoon session will commence here from Tuesday with new seating arrangements in the house and all precautions in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The seating arrangements for members of the assembly have been altered to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols.
"Glass partitions have been erected to separate the seats of MLAs to minimise contact between two lawmakers while they attend the proceedings of the house, an assembly official said.
The four-day session is expected to be a stormy affair with the opposition BJP deciding to corner the Congress government over its alleged failure to contain spread of the viral infection, "deteriorating" law and order situation, illegal mining and other issues.
The seats inside the house have capacity to accommodate two to three persons. Only two MLAs will sit in each seat with a glass partition between them. Eleven additional seats have been installed for members inside the house, the official said.
COVID-19: Tamil Nadu's tally inches towards 4 lakh mark
Tamil Nadu on Monday reported 5,967 fresh COVID infections as the tally inched towards four lakh cases while death toll touched 6,614 with 97 fatalities.
Of the new cases, Chennai accounted for 1,278 and nearby districts of Chengelpet (306), Kancheepuram (226) and Tiruvallur (320) together logged 852 cases while the remainder was scattered across the state.
Those dead include 92 with comorbidities and five had no chronic illnesses. Three women, aged 90, 27 and 23 besides a 35 year-old man were among the latest victims.
With the fresh infections, the state's infection count touched 3,85,352 and might cross the four lakh mark in a few days from now considering over 5,000 new infections daily in recent times.
COVID-19: No hard copies will be distributed in upcoming Parliament sessionHard copies of ordinances will not be circulated among MPs in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament to check the spread of COVID-19 and they will be given digitised version of the documents, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said on Monday.
A number of ordinances promulgated by the government are expected to be taken up by Parliament in the upcoming session.
"Members are informed that in view of the prevailing situation of COVID-19 pandemic and in order to check the spread of infection which may occur due to handling of physical papers, it has been decided to discontinue circulation of hard copies of ordinances with effect from the ensuing 4th Session of 17th Lok Sabha," the secretariat said in a notification.
However, the ordinances will continue to be circulated electronically among the members, it said.
The Lok Sabha Secretariat has been making necessary arrangements for holding the session while ensuring social distancing norms.
COVID-19: 8-day complete lockdown lifted in Aizawl
Mizoram government on Monday lifted the eight-day complete lockdown in the state capital area to contain the spread of novel coronavirus and the restrictions on movement of goods carrying vehicles.
The complete lockdown in Aizawl municipal area had been imposed from 8 pm of August 16 to expedite contact tracing and facilitate random sample testing of persons who have high risk of exposure to COVID-19 infected patients.
This was done after a sizeable number of local transmission cases were reported in the state with majority cases being found in the state capital.
The government order issued late Sunday night said the after the lifting of the lockdown on August 24 the guidelines issued on July 31 will be reinstated in the entire state.
Dharavi's COVID-19 tally rises to 2,713 with addition of two new cases: PTI quoting Mumbai civic body.
8601 new COVID-19 positive cases and 86 deaths reported in Andhra Pradesh today. Total number of cases rise to 361712 and death count is at 3368, said state COVID-19 nodal officer
COVID-19: WHO Says 172 Countries Engaging With Global Vaccine PlanSome 172 countries are engaging with the COVAX facility designed to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, the World Health Organization said on Monday, but more funding is needed and countries need now to make binding commitments.
Countries wishing to be part of the global COVAX plan have until Aug. 31 to submit expressions of interest, WHO officials said, with confirmation of intention to join due by Sept. 18, and initial payments due by Oct. 9.
WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the facility was critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, and would not only pool risk for countries developing and buying vaccines, but also ensure prices are kept "as low as possible".
COVID-19: UP's Gautam Buddh Nagar records 138 new cases, tally rises to 7,216As many as 138 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar on Monday, pushing the total number of coronavirus cases in the district to 7,216, official data showed.
The number of active cases rose to 927 from 839 on Sunday, according to the data released by the UP Health Department for a 24-hour period.
The district dropped to 12th position in the state in terms of active cases, the data showed.
Also, 51 more patients got discharged during the period.
So far, 6,246 patients have recovered from COVID-19 in Gautam Buddh Nagar, the third highest among districts in UP after Lucknow (15,328) and Kanpur Nagar (8,798), it showed.
The district has so far recorded 43 deaths linked to coronavirus and the mortality rate among positive cases dropped further to 0.59 per cent from 0.60 per cent on Sunday, according to official statistics.
COVID-19: 61 new fatalities take UP's death count to 2,987; tally of cases rises to 1.92 lakh
With 61 more patients succumbing to COVID-19, the death count due to the viral disease rose to 2,987 in Uttar Pradesh, while 4,677 fresh cases took the tally 1,92,382 on Monday.
Briefing reporters here, Additional Chief Secretary Medical and Health Amit Mohan Prasad said the case fatality rate in the state was 1.55 per cent.
He said that so far 2,987 COVID-19 patients have succumbed to the viral disease. "Effort is being made to stop all preventable deaths," Prasad said.
As many as 4,677 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in the state, the additional chief secretary said, adding the number of active COVID-19 cases in the state stands at 49,288.
So far, 1,40,107 COVID-19 patients have recovered from the disease and the recovery rate was 72.82 per cent, he said.
COVID-19: India conducts nearly 3.6 core tests so far, tests per million scale new peak of 26,016
India's COVID-19 tests per million rose sharply to 26,016 as cumulative tests surged to 3.59 crore, the Health Ministry said on Monday underlining that a key component in India's COVID-19 response has been early identification of cases by timely and aggressive testing.
The number of people recuperating from COVID-19 has crossed 23 lakh pushing the recovery rate to over 75 per cent, while the case fatality rate, maintaining a steady downward trajectory, has further dropped to 1.85 per cent, it said.
"A key component in India's response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been early identification of positive cases by timely and aggressive testing," the ministry said.
Prompt identification and isolation synced with efficient treatment have led to the rising number of recoveries, and low and declining mortality due to COVID-19, the ministry underlined.
COVID-19: Jharkhand's tally rises to 30,178; death count mounts to 320
Jharkhand's COVID-19 tally rose to 30,178 on Monday as 967 more people tested positive for the infection, while nine fresh fatalities pushed the state's coronavirus death count to 320, a health bulletin said.
The fresh infections have pushed the number of active cases in the state to 9,722, while 20,136 people have recovered from the disease, it said.
The state has tested 13,505 samples for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the bulletin added.
Meanwhile, the samples of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana and employees at his office were collected for COVID-19 tests, Dr Vivek Kashyap, superintendent, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) said.
Their samples were tested for the third time in two months.
The tests reports are likely to be available by evening, Mr Kashyap said.
COVID-19: Police put numbers on shops for odd-even formula in Ludhiana
The Punjab police on Monday put numbers on shops in Ludhiana so that they could open in accordance with the odd-even formula as instructed by the state government.
The decision was taken due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in the state. During a meeting last Thursday, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh had directed that only 50 per cent of shops remain open on working days in five districts of Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala and SAS Nagar (Mohali) to check crowds.
"The odd- and even-numbered shops will open on alternate days. A fine of Rs 5,000 will be imposed on the violators," sub-inspector Pawan Kumar told ANI.
COVID-19: Telangana reports 1,842 new cases, 6 deaths
As many as 1,842 new COVID-19 positive cases and six deaths were reported in Telangana on Sunday, taking the total number of cases to 1,06,091 in the state, according to the state Health Department on Monday.
The total number of cases includes 82,411 recoveries and 761 deaths. There are 22,919 COVID-19 patients who are under isolation, as per the daily bulletin.
Meanwhile, India crossed the 23 lakh COVID-19 recoveries mark and the case fatality rate "has further dipped" to 1.85 per cent, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), here on Monday."With more patients recovering and being discharged from hospitals and home isolation (in case of mild and moderate cases), India's COVID-19 total recoveries have crossed 23 lakh today. Recovery of 23,38,035 patients has been made possible because of effective implementation of the policy of testing aggressively, tracking comprehensively through surveillance and contact tracing and treating efficiently," the Union Health Ministry said in a statement.
COVID-19: 12 more cases reported in Meghalaya, tally 1,929
At least 12 more people, including nine security personnel, tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya on Monday, taking the northeastern state's tally to 1,929, a health department official said.
Of the new cases, 10 were reported from East Khasi Hills district and two from Ri-Bhoi, Health Services Director Aman War said.
"Nine armed forces personnel are among the new patients," he said.
Meghalaya currently has 1,141 active cases, while the number of recoveries stands at 780. Eight patients have succumbed to the infection so far.
COVID-19: 21 new cases reported in Himachal Pradesh
As many as 21 new cases were reported in Himachal Pradesh on Monday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 5,022, the state's health department said.
According to it, currently, there are 1,485 active cases, while 3,461 people have recovered from the virus. A total of 27 patients have succumbed to the pandemic.
"21 new COVID19 cases reported in Himachal Pradesh today. The total number of positive cases in the state rises to 5,022 including 1,485 active cases, 3,461 recovered cases & 27 deaths so far," it said.
COVID-19: Odisha's count reaches 81,479
Odisha reported 2,949 new COVID-19 cases on Sunda, taking the state's count of positive cases to 81,479, informed the State''s Information and Public Relations Department.
At present, there are 26,602 active cases and 54,405 patients have recovered from the virus across the state.
The death count due to COVID-19 in the state has reached 419 after 10 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.
As many as 60,909 samples were tested for COVID-19 that include 7,490 RT-PCR, 53,295 samples via Antigen testing, and 124 samples via Truenat testing.
Coronavirus news: More than 23 lakh patients recovered from COVID-19 in India, says Health Ministry
India crossed the 23 lakh COVID-19 recoveries mark and the case fatality rate "has further dipped" to 1.85 per cent, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday.
"With more patients recovering and being discharged from hospitals and home isolation (in case of mild and moderate cases), India's COVID-19 total recoveries have crossed 23 lakh today. Recovery of 23,38,035 patients has been made possible because of effective implementation of the policy of testing aggressively, tracking comprehensively through surveillance and contact tracing& treating efficiently," the Union Health Ministry said in a statement.
The Health Ministry further said India's recovery rate now stands at 75.27 per cent.
"India has posted more than 16lakh (16,27,264) recoveries than the active cases (7,10,771 which are under active medical care). The record high recoveries have ensured that the actual caseload of the country viz. the active cases, has reduced and currently comprises only 22.88 per cent of the total positive cases," the ministry said.
120 more police personnel found COVID-19 positive and one died in the last 24 hours in Maharashtra.
Haryana Speaker, 2 MLAs Test Positive For COVID-19: Health Minister
Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, Health Minister Anil Vij confirmed. "The Assembly Speaker and two other MLAs have tested positive for coronavirus," Vij, who is also the state's Home Minister, told PTI.
COVID-19 cases in Puducherry at 10,859, including 3,753 active cases, 6,942 recoveries and 164 deaths.
Telangana reported 1,842 new #COVID19 cases, 1,825 recoveries & 6 deaths on August 23, taking the total number of positive cases to 1,06,091 in the state.
21 new COVID-19 cases reported in Himachal Pradesh today.
Coronavirus News: 2,949 New COVID-19 Positive Cases In Odisha
2,949 new COVID-19 positive cases, 2,129 new recoveries were reported on August 23 in Odisha, taking the total number of COVID cases in the state to 81,479, including 26,602 active cases & 54,405 recovered cases: Information & Public Relations Department, Government of Odisha
Coronavirus News: Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 Tally Rises To 3,263
Arunachal Pradesh's COVID-19 tally rose to 3,263, with 40 more people including 17 security personnel testing positive for Coronavirus, a senior Health department official said on Monday.
COVID-19 Tally In Brazil Rises To Over 3.6 Million
With over 23,000 cases in the last 24 hours, the COVID-19 in Brazil has risen to over 3.6 million, reported Sputnik citing latest data from Health Ministry, reports ANI.
52 New COVID-19 Cases In Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Fifty-two more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, taking the union territory's Coronavirus caseload to 2,860, officials said on Monday.
Coronavirus News: India's Coronavirus Tally At 31,06,348
A spike of 61,408 new coronavirus patients in the last 24 hours has taken India's tally to 31,06,348, the Union Health Ministry said this morning, adding that over 23.38 lakh patients have recovered so far. More than 57,542 deaths linked to the highly infectious disease have been recorded by India since the beginning of the pandemic; 836 patients died in the last 24 hours.
Indore Reports 247 New COVID-19 Cases, Total Count Reaches 11,408
Indore on Sunday reported 247 new COVID-19 cases taking the total number of novel coronavirus cases in the district to 11,408 said Office of Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
Andhra Pradesh: Police in Doddavaram village of East Godavari district used a boat to take a COVID-19 patient to hospital.
"Treat Delhi Differently, Resume Metro On Trial Basis": Arvind Kejriwal To Centre
The Metro rail services in Delhi should be resumed in a phased manner on an experimental basis as the coronavirus situation has improved, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reiterated on Sunday, adding the national capital must be treated differently than other major cities where the Metro services have been halted because of the pandemic.
Read Here COVID-19 case count in Brazil crosses 3.6 million: Report
With over 23,000 cases in the last 24 hours, the COVID-19 in Brazil has risen to over 3.6 million, reported Sputnik citing latest data from Health Ministry.
Brazil now has a total of 3,605,783 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 23,421 new cases having been registered in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said on Sunday.
A total of 494 new deaths have also been reported during the same time bringing the country''s total death toll up to 114,744.
India's recovery rate is nearly 75%: Health Ministry
The constant increase in the number of recovered coronavirus patients has pushed India's recovery rate among the COVID-19 patients to nearly 75 per cent, stated the union health ministry on Sunday.
According to the ministry, about 57,989 patients recovered from COVID in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 22,80,566 so far.
India's total recoveries now exceed the total active cases (7,07,668) by nearly 16 lakhs (1,572,898), the ministry said.
US Approves Plasma Therapy To Help Treat Coronavirus
American authorities announced on Sunday an emergency approval of blood plasma from recovered coronavirus patients as a treatment against the disease that has killed over 176,000 in the US.
The plasma is believed to contain powerful antibodies that can help fight off the disease faster and help protect people from being seriously hurt by it.
"This product may be effective in treating COVID-19 and... the known and potential benefits of the product outweigh the known and potential risks of the product," the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement.
China Approves Emergency Usage Of COVID-19 Vaccines: Official
China has authorised emergency usage of COVID-19 vaccines developed by some select domestic companies, a Chinese health official has said.
An emergency use authorisation, which is based on Chinese vaccine management law, allows unapproved vaccine candidates to be used among people who are at high risk of getting infected on a limited period.