India / Biggest daily jump of 52,123 COVID-19 cases in India, recoveries cross 10L

New Delhi: India reported 52,123 new cases of the coronavirus disease in the last 24 hours, the Union health ministry dashboard showed on Thursday, which took its tally to 15,83,792.

The number of active cases in the country stand at 5,28,242, while 10,20,582 patients have been cured or discharged. Seven hundred seventy five people died due to the disease in the last 24 hours, the health ministry figure showed.

The gap between recovered patients and the number of active cases has been a key statistic that offers hope in the country’s long-drawn battle against Sars-Cov-2. On Thursday, there were 4,92,340 more patients who have recovered than those who are infected as the number of recoveries in the country crossed one million-mark.

While the first 2,50,000 recoveries came in 114 days, the latest quarter million recoveries have taken just eight days, according to analysis of data done by Hindustan Times.

The government, meanwhile, announced guidelines for opening up more activities outside the containment zones from August 1, when the third phase of relaxations kick in.

For the first time since a nationwide lockdown to check the spread of the coronavirus disease came into force on March 25, the government has allowed opening of yoga institutes and gymnasiums from August 5 (under Unlock 3) for which separate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued by the health ministry.

Restrictions on movement of individuals during night (night curfew) have also been removed, according to the guidelines issued by the Union home ministry on Wednesday.

However, schools, colleges, metro rail service, cinema halls along with bars will continue to remain shut till August 31 and political and religious gatherings too will remain prohibited.

The Unlock 3 guidelines will come into force from August 1 and strict enforcement of lockdown in containment zones will continue till August 31.

Meanwhile, the health ministry said on Wednesday that India’s Covid-19 case fatality rate (CFR) stands at 2.23 per cent - lower than what it is globally.

The CFR has been falling progressively due to coordinated implementation of the ‘test track treat’ strategy by the Centre, states and union territories, the ministry said. It stood at 3.3 per cent on June 19.