Top 10 coronavirus updates: UP, Kerala record highest daily rise in cases; India tally nears 21 lakh
A look at the biggest Covid-19 developments of the day.
- India on Saturday reported a record 61,537 new coronavirus cases, taking the country’s overall tally to 20,88,611. The toll went up to 42,518. There are now 6,19,088 people undergoing treatment and 14,27,005 patients who have recovered.
- The number of cases in Maharashtra crossed the 5-lakh mark on Saturday as the state saw 12,822 new cases in 24 hours. This took the total number of cases in the state to 5,03,084 and the toll to 17,367.
- Tamil Nadu reported 5,883 new coronavirus cases and 118 deaths in a day, taking the total number of cases to 2,90,907 and the toll to 4,808. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh reported 10,080 new coronavirus cases and 97 deaths in a day. The state’s total went up to 2,17,040. As many as 85,486 cases are currently active while the toll is 1,939.
- Kerala minister KT Jaleel said one of the 18 passengers, who died when an Air India Express plane crashed in Kerala’s Kozhikode city, has tested positive for the coronavirus. The state urged all those who had engaged in relief works to go into quarantine.
- Kerala recorded 1,420 new coronavirus cases and four deaths in 24 hours, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced. This was the state’s highest single-day increase so far. The state now has a total of 33,120 Covid-19 cases. Similarly, Uttar Pradesh also recorded its highest-ever single day rise with 4,660 new cases. The state now has 1,18,038 infections and 2,028 deaths.
- Union minister Kailash Choudhary on Saturday tested positive for the coronavirus and has been admitted to a hospital for treatment.
- Actor Abhishek Bachchan on Saturday announced that he had recovered from Covid-19 after testing negative for the coronavirus and would now be discharged from Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai. He spent 29 days in hospital.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Centre’s flagship Swachh Bharat Mission has played an important role in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. “Would lockdown have been possible if we did not have the Swachh Bharat Mission,” Modi asked. “Would we have fought Covid-19 well? It has strengthened us and empowered us in the fight against corona and we need to continue this habit of cleanliness. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has been a big support in fight against coronavirus.”
- The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday announced that it would allow small temples, mosques, churches and dargahs in corporation areas to reopen for public worship from August 10.
- The global coronavirus count crossed 1.94 crore, according to the Johns Hopkins University. The toll rose to 7.22 lakh. More than 1.17 crore people have recovered.