Coronavirus: 3,434 dead in India; 5 states record biggest spikes
On Wednesday, the number of coronavirus infections in India surged past 1.12 lakh, with an uptick of over 5,200 new COVID-19 cases. The death toll in the outbreak also stood at 3,434. At least five states independently recorded their biggest spikes on Wednesday. Meanwhile, in a first, India tested over 1 lakh samples for COVID-19 in a single day. Here are more details.
Health Ministry confirms 1,06,750 COVID-19 cases, 3,303 deaths
Till 8 am on Wednesday, the Union Health Ministry had confirmed 1,06,750 COVID-19 cases, including 3,303 deaths, 61,149 active cases, and 42,297 recoveries. According to data compiled from official state and union territory government statistics, India has reported 1,10,915 cases and 3,434 deaths (including co-morbid fatalities). With the addition of 1,096 cases the Centre has yet to assign to states, the tally reaches 1,12,011.
Here's how India's worst-hit states fared on Wednesday
Till Wednesday, Maharashtra reported 39,297 COVID-19 cases with 1,390 deaths. Tamil Nadu's COVID-19 cases rose to 13,191 with 87 deaths. Further, Gujarat reported 12,537 cases (including 749 deaths), Delhi reported 11,088 cases (including 176 deaths), Rajasthan reported 6,015 cases (including 147 deaths), Madhya Pradesh reported 5,735 cases (including 267 deaths), and Uttar Pradesh reported 5,175 cases (including 127 deaths).
These states recorded their biggest spikes
With 534 new cases, Delhi recorded its biggest spike for the second consecutive day. Madhya Pradesh recorded 270 new cases. Jharkhand's tally rose by 42 to 290, including three deaths (one patient tested negative before death, but had not been discharged). 16 new cases took Manipur's tally to 25. Himachal Pradesh reported 18 new cases. It now has 110 COVID-19 cases, with three deaths.
Iran returnee tests positive in Ladakh; 70-year-old dies in Odisha
After all 43 cases in Ladakh had recovered, one Iran returnee under institutional quarantine in Leh tested positive for COVID-19. The patient is a resident of Chuchot Yokma. Odisha reported one new COVID-19 death, taking the toll to six. The deceased was a 70-year-old man from Khurda district who died at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The state's total infections also crossed 1,000, reaching 1,052.
Domestic flights restart from Monday; testing capacity scaled up
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that domestic flight operations will resume from Monday (May 25). India's testing capacity has been scaled up to 1 lakh tests a day. As of 9 am on Wednesday, India had tested over 25 lakh samples for COVID-19. The Home Ministry granted lockdown exemptions to schools to conduct of board examinations for Classes X and XII.
