COVID-19: India records 39,070 fresh cases & 491 deaths, Kerala continues to lead

India reported a total of 39,070 fresh COVID-19 positive cases while 491 people succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours. Currently, the number of active cases of COVID-19 in the country is at 4,06,822. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the cumulative caseload of COVID-19 infection in the country reached 3,19,34,455.

In the last 24 hours, 43,910 people have recovered from the coronavirus that took the overall recoveries to a total of 3,10,99,771. Currently, the recovery rate stands at 97.39% and the daily positivity rate at 2.27%. The weekly positivity rate has remained below the five percent mark since the second wave of the pandemic and has remained low at 2.38% over the past week. The overall tally of deaths related to COVID-19 stands at 4,27,862. On Saturday, the nation had reported 38,628 new COVID-19 cases and 617 deaths.

As pressure looms over the health infrastructure over the threat of a third wave, the states have ensured that the testing capacity is ramped up and the daily tests remain high. So far, 48 crore tests have been conducted in India. Earlier this week, India crossed the landmark of 50 crore doses being administered to people across the country. The official number according to the government’s data, stands at 50,68,10,492 vaccine doses. The Health Ministry said that in the last 24 hours, 55,91,657 vaccine doses were administered.

Is the country opening up a good sign?

Kerala has the most active cases with 1,78, 685 people still under treatment or under isolation, 20,367 cases added in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra is second on the list with 74, 482 active cases. The entire country is slowly opening up with restrictions being eased to help in the recovery of the economic sector. States like Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Delhi are gearing up to welcome back school children back into the classrooms. As India approved Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose vaccine for emergency use, there is hope among virologists that the third wave can be fought. Various studies suggest that the daily number of cases could start going up again in August and could peak in October.

(With ANI inputs)