10,956 new Covid-19 cases, 396 deaths in biggest single-day spike
India has also climbed to the fourth spot in the list of nations worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic after the US, Brazil and Russia.
India on Friday recorded more than 10,000 fresh cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) for the first time in a single day, taking the country’s tally to 297,538, the Union health ministry’s data showed.
There were 10,956 Covid-19 cases and 396 deaths in the last 24 hours recording another steep rise in numbers, according to the health ministry’s dashboard. India has also climbed to the fourth spot in the list of nations worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic after the US, Brazil and Russia.
After recording the first Covid-19 case on January 30, India now has 141,842 active cases and 147,194 people have recovered from the respiratory disease.
Also read: Seven states see rapid increase in Covid-19 cases in 10 days
The number of people who have been cured of Covid-19 has been on the rise and Friday was the third day that there were more recoveries than active cases.
According to a study, only 0.73% of the over 26,000 people across 83 districts of India may have been exposed to the Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19 by the end of April.
It points to the slow spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the country but also the fact that much of its population is not immune to a disease that still has no cure.
However, only part of the findings of the survey have been released. A key part on the presence of antibodies in so-called hotspots or containment zones, areas most affected by the disease, is awaited.
Blood samples were taken in May from 26,400 individuals in 28,595 households across 83 districts in 21 states and tested for IgG antibodies that determine a past infection due to the virus, and, therefore, also immunity, according to a few scientists.
Also read: These 69 districts have fatality rate much higher than national average
The number of cases and deaths per lakh population in India is also lowest in the world, with 20.77 cases as compared to 91.67 cases globally, and 0.59 deaths in India as opposed to 5.23 deaths in the world.
Covid-19 has affected more than 7.5 million and killed 420,993 people across the world, according to America’s Johns Hopkins University.
