India’s Covid count crosses 9 lakh; 28.6k+ cases, 538 deaths on Mon

NEW DELHI: India’s Covid-19 caseload zoomed past the 9 lakh mark, just three days after crossing 8 lakh, as the new week began with the addition of over 28,600 cases and 538 deaths in the country.
The past week saw the biggest rise in both cases and deaths from the virus in the country, discounting the third week of June when 2,003 deaths, mostly back-dated, were added in a single day.Over 1.83 lakh cases and 3,466 deaths were recorded in the past week (July 6-12), at a daily average of over 26,100 cases and 495 deaths.
On Monday, 28,648 new cases emerged across the country, taking the total caseload to 9,07,041, as per data collated from state governments. With 538 more deaths, India’s Covid-19 toll rose to 23,695. While more than 5.7 lakh patients have so far recovered from the infections, there are 3.12 lakh active cases.
The count of fresh infections was slightly below Sunday’s record number of 29,271, in keeping with the general trend of a dip in cases every Monday. Yet, at least six states reported their highest single-day surge in cases, with Andhra Pradesh detecting 1,935 infections, Uttar Pradesh 1,664, Gujarat 902, Madhya Pradesh 575, Punjab 357 and Chhattisgarh 184 (tied with Sunday’s peak).
Maharashtra recorded 6,497 fresh coronavirus cases, its lowest increase in the last six days. With this, the overall Covid-19 cases in the state stood at 2,60,924. Cases in Mumbai too registered a dip, reporting 1,158 cases. The number of patients currently under treatment in the state is over 1.05 lakh.
Delhi continued to report a dip in cases, with 1,246 on Monday, while the day's death toll rose slightly by 40.
Karnataka reported 2,738 fresh cases of Covid-19, the second-highest single-day increase, including 1,315 from Bengaluru. However, the state reported 73 deaths, including 47 in Bengaluru, the highest for a single day in the state and its capital. Karnataka and Bengaluru both reported more deaths than Tamil Nadu (66) and Chennai (24) during the day, with Bengaluru also reported more fresh cases than Chennai (1,140).
Andhra Pradesh recorded 37 deaths on Monday, the highest single-day roll, taking the cumulative toll to 365. The state continued to witness an upward trend in infections with 1,935 new Covid-19 cases detected on Monday. AP tested 19,247 samples on Monday and of them, 1,935 were found positive. This translates into a case positivity rate of about 10%.
Tamil Nadu’s Covid-19 death toll rose to 2,032, with 66 fatalities reported on Monday, including 24 deaths in Chennai. TN logged more than 4,000 fresh cases for the second day, taking active cases to 48,196.
Chennai’s numbers fell again to 1,141 of the 4,328 new infections. The city now has 16,601 active cases. However, the tally of its three neighbours continued to rise, recording 908 cases on Monday -- 219 in Chengalpet, 352 in Kancheepuram and 337 in Tiruvallur.
In Ahmedabad, not wearing a mask will now attract a heftier fine of Rs 500. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation on Monday became the state’s first civic body to hike fine for mask violation from existing Rs 200 in a bid to deter most people from violating the mandatory-mask-in-public rule. People spitting at and around pan shops will also be fined Rs 500. The move comes on a day when Gujarat recorded the highest 902 cases in 24 hours.
Telangana recorded nine deaths and 1,550 new cases of Covid-19. State authorities said Ranga Reddy districts saw its highest single-day surge in cases since the onset of the pandemic. The count of cases in the district, adjoining Hyderabad, stood at 212 on Monday.
Bihar recorded 14 Covid-19 deaths on Monday, including the first death of a doctor due to the infection, taking the toll to 151. Dr Ashwani Kumar, a physician practising in Gaya who was admitted in hospital on July 2 and was on ventilator, died at AIIMS-Patna.