India has added 53,476 fresh coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day rise in over five months, taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 1,17,87,534, the Union health ministry said on Thursday. 251 people have died during the same period, taking the total number of dead to 1,60,692.
India is witnessing an increase in the daily new cases of COVID-19 since February, "clearly indicating a second wave", a report by the State Bank of India (SBI) said. The second wave may last up to 100 days, when counted from February 15, it said. Based on trends till March 23, the total number of coronavirus cases in India in the second wave is expected to be around 25 lakh, the forecast said.
Meanwhile in West Bengal- where elections will be held next month, actor Mithun Chakraborty today made his first appearance for the BJP in Bengal. Speculation that he would contest the election was shut down when his name was missing from the BJP's final list of candidates earlier this week. "I have no political aspirations," he repeated today.
