NEW DELHI—India has registered 75,829 confirmed coronaviruses cases in the past 24 hours, a day after crossing 100,000 total fatalities.
The Health Ministry raised India’s confirmed total to more than 6.5 million on Sunday and said at least 101,782 people have died of Covid-19 since the pandemic began.
India is still registering the highest number of daily cases globally but with the recovery rate at more than 83 percent, the number of those recovered has surpassed 5.5 million, the Health Ministry said.
India also has the low fatality rate of 1.56 percent, which is nearly half the global one.
The Health Ministry credited the increased testing in the country for a sustained low death rate. India has conducted nearly 79 million tests so far, according to official data.
India is preparing to reopen cinemas and entertainment parks with limited capacity beginning October 15, in an effort to revive the economy. Health experts warn the move has the potential for the virus to spread during the upcoming religious festival and winter season.
India is also making plans for an eventual vaccine, with officials saying they hope to immunize at least 250 million of the country’s 1.4 billion people by July 2021.
Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday that the government will ensure “equitable access” to a vaccine and is in the process of identifying high-risk groups that will be the first in line to receive it.
Vardhan said the topmost priority will be given to frontline health-care workers.
India is testing three potential vaccines, including one being developed jointly by the University of Oxford and pharma giant AstraZeneca.
That vaccine will be mass-produced by India’s Serum Institute, the world’s biggest vaccine producer. The Serum Institute has said that it will produce 200 million doses of coronavirus vaccines for developing countries, including India. AP
Image credits: AP/Ajit Solanki
