More on Covid-19

NEW DELHI: Madhya Pradesh recorded huge surge in Covid-19 infections, with 361 new cases reported on Thursday, the highest single-day figure for any state so far. With the coronavirus crisis worsening in Gujarat as well and Maharashtra continuing to report big numbers, new virus cases from across the country rose to 1,260 — the second highest for a single day so far.Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, which recorded 163 fresh cases, were clearly emerging as the new coronavirus crisis states. Indore alone accounted for 244 cases on Thursday as MP jumped to the number 3 spot in the country with a cumulative coronavirus count of 1,299 cases.The total number of Covid-19 cases in India is now over 13,500. In Maharashtra, 286 fresh infections were detected, the third highest tally for a single day in the state, which has by far the largest number of Covid-19 patients.Maharashtra’s Covid-19 count breached the 3000-mark on Thursday, the latest 1,000 cases coming in just four days. Mumbai added 177 cases, also its highest addition in single day, taking the total cases in the megapolis to 2,073 at a doubling rate of just six days.Delhi reported six coronavirus-related deaths, its highest 24-hour toll, even as the city saw a relatively low number (62) of new cases for the second consecutive day. Delhi has so far recorded 1,640 cases and 38 deaths.Seven new deaths were recorded in Maharashtra, three in Gujarat, two each in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and one each in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Punjab, taking the country’s total death toll due to Covid-19 to 449.In Delhi, new Covid-19 deaths included a cancer patient who contracted the infection while undergoing treatment at Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI) – the hospital which turned into a hotspot with at least four patients and more than 30 healthcare workers testing positive for the disease. Six days ago, another cancer patient had died due to Covid-19, sources said.The risk of transmission of the novel coronavirus from asymptomatic patients is keeping Delhi’s hospitals on the edge. On Thursday, a public hospital in northwest Delhi had to send 68 staff members, including doctors and nurses, into quarantine when it was revealed that a 25-year-old pregnant woman they had operated upon on Tuesday had travel history and was advised to self-quarantine. “The patient had disclosed neither her travel history not the fact that she had received home-quarantine orders despite repeated verbal queries at the time of admission,” the hospital said.The 25-year-old passed away on Wednesday after her condition deteriorated. Her test results are awaited, the hospital said. In Maharashtra, nearly 150 healthcare workers have been found positive for Covid-19.On Thursday, Gujarat recorded 163 new Covid-19 positive cases in 24 hours. Ahmedabad, a national Covid hotspot, reported 95 fresh cases. The district now accounts for 59% of the total positive cases in Gujarat. Gujarat’s tally of cases has now reached 929, including 36 deaths.Rajasthan recorded 55 new cases on Thursday, a drop compared to the previous few days, taking its total Covid-19 tally to 1,131. Thirteen people have died due to the disease in the state.Continuing with the positive trend in Kerala, 27 persons were declared Covid-19-free after consecutive negative tests in Kerala on Thursday, even as the state recorded just seven new cases.Across India, the rate of recovery is nearly 10% of all Covid-19 cases, as per statistics collated from state governments. Kerala has recorded the maximum 245 recoveries, followed by Telangana (186) and Tamil Nadu (180). Maharashtra and Rajasthan have recorded 164 recoveries each. The recovery rate in Delhi is low, with only 51 out of 1,640 Covid-19 patients having been discharged.Telangana recorded 50 new Covid-19 positive cases, taking the positive tally to 700. Health minister Eatala Rajender announced that 14 of a family, all contacts of the mid-March Tablighi Jamaat congregation, and 25 new coronavirus cases in Hyderabad figured among the new cases.Eight new Covid-19 positive cases were reported from Bihar, taking the total number of cases in Bihar to 80.