Globally, the Coronavirus has infected over 1.2 million people and has left nearly 65,000 dead. In India, there are 3,374 cases and 77 deaths.
New Delhi| Seventy-seven people have died in India after being infected with the novel coronavirus, the health ministry said today, adding that the country recorded 472 cases in last 24 hours that takes the total to 3,374.
However, a PTI tally of figures reported by states directly showed at least 97 deaths across the country while the number of confirmed cases of infection had reached 3,619 as of Saturday late evening. Of them, close to 300 have been cured and discharged.
India recorded the highest number of cases (601) and deaths (12) on Friday amid an unprecedented surge in the COVID-19 count over the last week linked to a controversial religious gathering in Delhi.
More than 1,000 people who attended the religious held by Islamic group Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi last month have tested positive, the government said on Saturday. Tonight, millions across India are expected to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to express national solidarity by turning off lights “at 9 pm for nine minutes” in fight against “darkness of coronavirus pandemic”
Also Read: “Indians are innocent, believe everything government says”: P Chidambaram
Cases linked to the Tablighi Jamaat have been reported from 17 states – Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh and Jharkhand. Tamil Nadu is the worst hit with over 450 cases.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also appealed to people to light candles and diyas, or switch on torches or mobile phone flashlights, for nine minutes at 9 pm today, to āilluminate the common purpose we are all fighting forā. āThe light from the lamps will show that we are together in this battle,ā he said.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
