Coronavirus India Updates: Death Toll Nears 50,000 As Cases Rise Unabated
India added 63,490 Covid-19 cases and reported 944 deaths in a matter of 24 hours.
Coronavirus cases in India continue to race ahead, with over a lakh new infections added every two days in the world’s third-worst affected country.
India added 63,490 cases in a matter of 24 hours, taking the total tally to nearly 26 lakh, according to the health ministry’s update as of 8:00 am on Aug. 16. This includes nearly 50,000 deaths and more than 18 lakh patients who have recovered.
The country has reported over 60,000 cases per day for over a week now.
Key figures:
- Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases: 25,89,682
- Active cases: 6,77,444
- Cured/discharged/migrated: 18,62,258
- Deaths: 49,980
- Fresh cases in 24 hours: 63,490
- One-day recoveries: 53,322
- One-day deaths: 944
Coronavirus Global Update
Australia said it’s close to reaching a deal to produce a coronavirus vaccine, as the country struggles to contain spiraling infections in Victoria, a state that has seen renewed lockdown measures. Health Minister Greg Hunt said the government is in advanced negotiations with different companies. Victoria state reported 279 new infections in the past 24 hours and 16 deaths.
In the U.S., virus deaths in California rose at an above-average pace and Florida reported more than 200 fatalities for the fourth day this week, with daily U.S. cases increasing by more than 60,000 for the first time this month, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg. China reported 19 new cases for Saturday, and South Korea confirmed 279 more.
The SARS-CoV-2 has now infected nearly 21.4 million people globally with the death toll at 7,68,900.
Rajasthan’s Covid-19 Death Toll Rises To 875, Tally Climbs To 60,666
Thirteen more people died due to Covid-19 in Rajasthan on Sunday, taking the state's death toll to 875, while 687 fresh coronavirus cases pushed the tally to 60,666, said a health department official on Sunday.
Of the latest fatalities, three each were reported from Bikaner and Jaipur, two each from Ajmer, Bhilwara and Sikar, and one from Udaipur, the official said.
Out of the total deaths in the state, Jaipur has reported 232, followed by 87 in Jodhpur, 65 in Bharatpur, 59 in Ajmer, 57 in Bikaner, 53 in Kota, 37 each in Nagaur and Pali, 23 in Alwar and 19 in Dholpur.
Of the 687 fresh cases reported in the state, 66 were from Jaipur, 57 from Jodhpur, 49 from Bikaner, 48 from Kota, 47 from Ajmer, 40 from Barmer, 39 from Sikar and 38 from Udaipur.
Tamil Nadu Deputy CM Prays For Speedy Recovery Of SP Balasubrahmanyam
Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam is praying for the speedy recovery of singer SP Balasubrahmanyam, who is on life support after being hospitalised for Covid-19. The voice of his "dear brother" should once again echo on the silver screen, he said in Chennai on Sunday. Admitted to the city-based MGM Healthcare on Aug. 5 after testing positive for the coronavirus, the singer-actor continues to be on life support and stable.
Pranab Mukherjee Continues To Be On Life Support
Former President Pranab Mukherjee continues to be on ventilator support but his vitals and clinical parameters are stable, doctors attending to him said on Sunday.
The doctors at the Army's Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi Cantonment said the health of the former president is being closely monitored by a team of specialists.
His son Abhijit Mukherjee said he visited the hospital on Saturday and his father "is much better and stable than the preceding days".
"Yesterday, I had visited my father in hospital. With God's grace and all your good wishes, he is much better and stable than the preceeding days! All his vital parameters are stable and he is responding to treatment. We firmly believe that He will be back among us soon. Thank You (sic)," he said on Twitter.
U.S. FDA Clears Simple Saliva Test For Faster Detection Of Covid-19
The United States Food and Drug Administration has authorised the emergency use of a new and expensive saliva-based laboratory diagnostic test for Covid-19.
U.S. FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said that the new saliva test would increase efficiency and avoid shortage of crucial test components like reagents. Providing this type of flexibility for processing saliva samples to test for Covid-19 is groundbreaking in terms of efficiency and avoiding shortages of crucial test components like reagents, he said in a statement.
The agency had previously authorised four other tests that use saliva for sampling but these yielded varying results. Authorisation of the new test occurs amid ongoing disarray over Covid-19 testing in the U.S.