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NEW DELHI – India has recorded 75,829 confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, a day after crossing the 100,000 total deaths.
The Health Ministry raised India’s confirmed total to more than 6.5 million on Sunday and said that at least 101,782 people have died from Covid-19 since the pandemic began.
India continues to record the highest number of daily cases globally, but with a recovery rate of more than 83 percent, the number of people recovered exceeded 5.5 million, the Health Ministry said.
India also has a low mortality rate of 1.56 percent, which is almost half that of the world.
The Health Ministry attributed the increase in testing in the country to a sustained low mortality 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 starting October 15, in an effort to revive the economy. Health experts warn that 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, and officials say 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 Sunday that the government will ensure “equitable access” to a vaccine and is in the process of identifying high-risk groups that will be first in line to receive it.
Vardhan said front-line healthcare workers will be given top priority.
India is testing three possible vaccines, including one jointly developed by the University of Oxford and the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca.
That vaccine will be mass-produced by the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine producer. The Serum Institute has said it will produce 200 million doses of coronavirus vaccines for developing countries, including India. AP
