Coronavirus: India reports 3.2L cases; 7-day average hits record high
India on Tuesday saw a decline in coronavirus infections, reporting 3.2 lakh new cases days after a record spike of 4.14 lakh. However, the seven-day average of new cases reached a record high of 3.9 lakh. The test positivity rate also stood at 17.8%. The death toll rose by 3,876. Notably, India now accounts for one in every three deaths reported worldwide each day.
India has reported 2.3 crore cases, 2.5 lakh deaths
According to the Union Health Ministry, till Tuesday morning, India reported a total of 2,29,92,517 COVID-19 cases. The death toll has reached 2,49,992. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 1,90,27,304 patients have recovered, while 37,15,221 cases involve active infections. In the past 24 hours alone, India recorded 3,29,942 new infections and 3,876 fresh fatalities. 17,27,10,066 vaccine doses have been administered so far.
Karnataka reports highest single-day cases in India
With 37,236 new cases, Maharashtra's daily infections dropped below 40,000 for the first time since March 31. Karnataka—the second worst-hit state after Maharashtra—reported 39,305 new cases, with 16,747 new cases in Bengaluru Urban district alone. Meanwhile, the third worst-hit state Kerala added 27,487 new cases. Tamil Nadu—the fourth worst-hit state—reported 28,978 new cases; the biggest spike for the 27th consecutive day.
COVID-19 situation remains worrisome in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, etc.
Among other states, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal continued to report a high number of daily infections and deaths.
11 die at Andhra hospital as oxygen supply dips
The COVID-19 crisis is only exacerbated by the limitations of the health infrastructure. On Monday, 11 people died at a government hospital in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, due to a delay in the arrival of a tanker carrying oxygen. India has received medical oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators along with other key medical supplies in support from other nations to boost its COVID-19 response.
B.1.617 variant of concern at global level: WHO
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has classified the Indian coronavirus variant as a "variant of global concern," with some preliminary studies showing that the new strain spreads more easily. The B.1.617 variant had been identified in India last year. Both B.1.617 and its particular lineage B.1.617.2 have increased transmissibility. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the variant is more resistant to vaccines.
