India’s COVID-19 caseload went past 85 lakh, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 78,68,968 pushing the national recovery rate to 92.49%, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on November 8.
The total coronavirus cases mounted to 85,07,754 with 45,674 infections being reported in a day, while the death toll climbed to 1,26,121 with 559 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 a.m. IST showed.
The case fatality rate stands at 1.48%.
The number of active cases of COVID-19 remained below 6 lakh for the 10th consecutive day.
There are 5,12,665 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country as on date which comprises 6.03% of the total caseload, the data stated.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the latest updates:
COVID-19 recoveries exceed active cases by 73.56 lakh
Keeping with the trend of single-day COVID-19 recoveries outnumbering daily new cases, 49,082 patients have recuperated from the disease in a day taking the total recoveries to 78.68 lakh which exceed the active infections by 73,56,303, the Union Health Ministry said on November 8.
The trend of single-day COVID-19 recoveries exceeding daily new cases has been observed for the 37th day on November 8. — PTI
Coronavirus | India’s COVID-19 recoveries exceed active cases by 73.56 lakh
Gambhir tests negative for COVID-19
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir on November 8 said he has tested negative for COVID-19, two days after someone at his home contracted the dreaded disease.
Gambhir informed about the development on his Twitter page and urged people to follow safety measures.
“Glad to share that my COVID test result is negative. Thank you for all the wishes. I again urge everyone to strictly follow guidelines. Stay safe,” he tweeted. — PTI
Bihar Assembly elections | Can’t remain silent spectator to situations, says EC Chandra about polls amid COVID-19
Noting that the coronavirus pandemic presented a unique challenge for the poll panel in holding safe elections, Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra on Saturday said various facilities were extended to COVID-19 patients to cast their vote in the Bihar Assembly polls, including postal ballot facility and extension of polling time.
He said the Election Commission cannot remain “silent” to situations where persons suffering from COVID-19 are unable to exercise their democratic right.
“This time, besides senior citizens and women, we had to make additional arrangements for COVID patients... We extended polling time by one hour,” he said addressing an event.
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden vows to tackle coronavirus; to name advisers on Monday
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden has assured Americans that his first task is to get the raging coronavirus pandemic under control with a definite plan that will be “built on bedrock science,” as the deadly disease has killed over 237,000 people in the country.
“That’s the only way we can get back to living,” Mr. Biden said in his victory speech, hours after he was declared the winner of the November 3 presidential election held amidst the pandemic.
He also announced that on Monday he will form a group of leading scientists and experts to bring the pandemic under control.
Makes sense to bring people to the vaccine instead of taking the vaccine to people in some settings: Dr. Gagandeep Kang
The government recently said it will procure the vaccine and distribute it under a special COVID-19 immunisation programme to certain priority groups free-of-charge. The priority groups named are not exhaustive and there are challenges in distributing many COVID-19 vaccines that are in advanced stages of human trial.
Professor of microbiology at CMC Vellore, Dr. Gagandeep Kang explains in an email to The Hindu the challenges that lie ahead.
Read the full interview here.
Third wave of COVID-19 in Delhi worst so far; cases to come down soon: Health Minister Jain
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said the national capital has hit the peak of the third wave of COVID-19 and the number of cases suggests it has been the worst so far.
The government has increased the number of beds for COVID-19 patients in hospitals in Delhi, but there is no plan to rope in hotels and banquet halls, the minister said.
“The third wave of COVID-19 is at its peak in Delhi. The number of cases suggests it is the worst wave so far. But the cases will come down soon,” Jain said.
- PTI
Delhi records highest number of fatalities in over four months
The national capital recorded 6,953 fresh coronavirus cases and 79 deaths on Saturday, the highest number of fatalities in over four months, officials said.
The cases were detected out of the 57,433 tests conducted the previous day while the positivity rate stood at 12.11 per cent, according to the latest health bulletin.
The 6,953 cases took the infection tally to over 4.3 lakh, it said.
On Friday, Delhi recorded over 7,000 COVID-19 cases for the first time while the recovery rate was over 89 per cent
- PTI
No evidence to suggest coronavirus cluster 5 variant found in minks increases virus transmissibility, disease severity
Since June, 214 people in Denmark have been reported to have been infected with a variant of the novel coronavirus associated with farmed minks.
The variant called “cluster 5” has a combination of mutations not seen previously. Cluster 5 makes up around 5% of the strains found in northern Denmark. So far, this variant has not been reported from other countries, suggesting that the variant has not spread beyond Denmark.
Denmark had on November 6 ordered culling of the entire farmed mink population of 17 million to prevent further changes to the virus emerging among minks, and the spread of mink-related viruses any more from minks to humans.
According to the WHO, initial observations suggest that the “clinical presentation, severity and transmission among those infected are similar to that of other circulating SARS-CoV-2 viruses”. Denmark epidemiologist Kare Molbak said cluster 5 was not more dangerous than other strains or more infectious, according to Reuters.
