India's Covid-19 tally crosses half-million mark with highest single-day spike of 18552 cases

New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): India on Saturday crossed the half-million mark with record highest spike of 18,552 cases of coronavirus reported across the country in the past 24 hours.
India has added more than 3.18 lakh COVID-19 cases since June 1.
The country registered 508,953 cases as of Saturday while the recovered cases have exceeded the active cases by 98,493.
Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh - account for nearly a third of these cases. While the number of active cases stands at 1,97,387, the number of cured cases is 2,95,880.
According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, this was the highest single-day spike of COVID-19 positive cases. Also, with 384 fatalities in the past 24 hours, the total deaths inched closer to the 16000 mark. The death toll stands at 15685 with one person migrated outside India, according to the health ministry update at 8 am today.
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said that the COVID-19 recovery rate has surged over 58 per cent in the country with around 3 lakh cured and discharged patients.
"Our mortality/fatality rate is near 3 per cent which is very less. Our doubling rate has come down to nearly 19 days, which was 3 days before the lockdown," Dr Harsh Vardhan said.
He said that the testing facilities have been ramped up significantly in the country and yesterday alone over 2,30,000 tests were conducted in the 1,026 approved labs in the country.
Maharashtra continues to top the countrywide list with a total number of COVID-19 positive cases at 1,52,765.
Delhi has so far reported 77,240 confirmed cases, as per the MoHFW. Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai are the worst-hit cities in the country.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the total number of samples tested up to June 26 is 79,96,707; the number of samples tested on June 26, Friday stands at 2,20,479.
As many as 11 deaths and 796 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Andhra Pradesh in the past 24 hours, according to a media bulletin released by Andhra COVID nodal officer on Saturday.
As many as 180 more cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Bihar, as per information provided by the State Health Department on Saturday.
With this, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state has increased to 8,858, said the health department.
Tamil Nadu reported 3,713 fresh COVID-19 cases and 68 deaths today, taking total number of cases to 78,335 and death toll to 1,025. The number of active cases stands at 33,213, said State Health Department.
195 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 positive and 102 persons have recovered today, said Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja.
Three new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Chandigarh today, taking the total number of cases to 427. There are 86 active cases and 335 patients have been cured till date, said Health Department, Chandigarh.
On the other hand, Madhya Pradesh has reported 12,798 COVID-19 positive cases so far while Puducherry has reported 502 COVID-19 cases till now, according to the Union Health Ministry.
Telangana has reported 12,349 COVID-19 positive cases so far, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Uttar Pradesh has reported 20,943 COVID-19 positive cases till now including 6,730 active cases, 13,583 cured/discharged/ migrated and 630 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
West Bengal has reported 16,190 COVID-19 positive cases so far while Uttarakhand has reported 2,725 cases.
The Delhi government ordered all COVID-19 dedicated hospitals to install CCTV cameras in all wards.
"All the COVID-19 dedicated hospitals are directed to ensure that CCTVs shall be immediately installed in all wards of the hospital. The PWD has already been directed to do it on an emergent basis to assist the hospital management to immediately find out the requirement of proper care with regard to patients admitted in the wards, and also ensure transparency in patient care," an order said.(ANI)