With 6,767 corona cases on Sunday, India records highest single-day spike

India on Sunday recorded its biggest single-day spike in coronavirus cases after 6,767 new patients were detected in the last 24 hours. This was the third consecutive day when India recorded such high numbers.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country now is 1,31,868 with 3,867 deaths. Of these, 147 deaths were reported in the last one day. The active cases is 73,560 while 54,440 people have been discharged so far taking recovery rate to 41.28%.

AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said the coming days are going to be tougher. In fact, as per one study by Jadavpur University researchers, cases will peak between June 18-28 with anything between 7,000 to 7,500 fresh cases per day before declining from July. This is mainly because the lockdown norms are being eased and public transport and commercial spaces are being opened.

From Sunday, Tamil Nadu has decided to allow salons and beauty parlours to open with precautions and without air conditioning. All these businesses, however, cannot reopen in Chennai and containment zones. Tamil Nadu has the second-highest cases of coronavirus in India after Maharashtra.

According to economist Prof Shamika Ravi, who is closely tracking the Covid-19 graph, despite 36% of all cases in India, Maharashtra still is witnessing rapidly rising active cases and is nowhere close to the peak. Maharashtra is also reporting large number of deaths. On the other hand, Tamil Nadu, with 12% of all cases is showing strong recovery rate and fewer deaths while Gujarat with 11% cases is showing strong recovery rate but reporting large deaths too. Delhi that has 10% of all the cases is witnessing rising numbers of active cases, and large deaths despite a good recovery rate. She added that total cases are doubling in 13 days while active cases are doubling in 16 days.

Maharashtra continues to remain the worst-affected state with 47,190 COVID-19 cases. It is followed by Tamil Nadu (15,512), Gujarat (13,664), and Delhi (12,910).

Meanwhile, in a fresh advisory union health ministry has recommended use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as a preventive medication for asymptomatic healthcare personnel working in non-COVID-19 hospitals, frontline staff on surveillance duty in containment zones and paramilitary/police personnel involved in coronavirus infection related activities.

HCQ is also recommended for all asymptomatic healthcare workers involved in containment and treatment of COVID-19 and household contacts of laboratory confirmed cases. The revised advisory, however, cautioned that the intake of the medicine should not instill a sense of false security.