People giving the swab sample for Covid-19 coronavirus testing at SPPC Yoga Anusandhan Kendra in Delhi on Wednesday. Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav

Coronavirus India Updates: With as many as 49,310 new Covid-19 cases, India’s total caseload now stands at over 12.87 lakh (12,87,945). As many as 740 coronavirus patients succumbed to the illness in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 30,601. After 34,602 patients were reported cured/discharged since yesterday, the total recoveries have risen to 8.17 lakh (8,17,209).

For the last few days, India has registered more Coronavirus patients than any other country in the world except the United States. Brazil’s daily numbers have fallen in the last week, while India has risen from the level of about 35,000 to almost 50,000 now.

A health worker in personal protective equipment (PPE) checks the temperature of a resident with an electronic thermometer during a check up campaign for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India, July 13, 2020. (REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas)

States with high Covid caseloads — including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka — have largely been held responsible for pushing India towards the 50,000 mark.

Meanwhile, according to data released by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), more than 3.52 lakh (3,52,801) samples were tested since yesterday. The total number of tests conducted in the country since the onset of the pandemic stands at well over 1.5 crore (1,54,28,170).

A look at the top developments today:

Home Secy reviews arrangements for travellers arriving through flights under air bubbles

All international passengers arriving through flights arranged under air bubbles are subjected to two layers of health screening besides mandatory seven days institutional quarantine at their own cost followed by a seven day home quarantine, officials said on Friday. The arrangements being made for passengers arriving through air bubbles flights were discussed at a high level meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Thursday.

Secondary health screening at the final destination state, deployment of additional health personnel for triage in the arrival area and for health checkup in the departure area were some of the key issues reviewed by Bhalla along with top officials of the Ministries of Health, Civil Aviation and Bureau of Immigration, a home ministry official told PTI.

With 2,436 new cases, West Bengal’s Covid tally now at half a lakh

A record 2,436 new coronavirus cases were recorded in West Bengal since Thursday, taking the state’s total tally to 51,757. With this, West Bengal has become the eighth Indian state to cross the grim 50,000 mark.

A doctor gives physical therapy to a COVID- 19 positive patient at an isolation center in Mumbai (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

More than 75 per cent of the new cases, and 31 of the 34 latest deaths were reported from the epicentre of the infection in south Bengal — Kolkata; its adjoining districts Howrah, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas; and Hooghly.

The three remaining deaths were reported in Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Medinipur, and Birbhum. The state’s death toll now stands at 1,255.

Andhra Pradesh records nearly 8,000 new cases

Andhra Pradesh recorded a staggering 7,998 fresh Covid-19 cases in a day, pushing the state’s overall tally to 72,111 on Thursday. With 61 new casualties since yesterday, the death toll is now at 884.

According to the state’s daily bulletin, 5,428 Covid-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after they got cured. Till date, 37,555 patients had recovered and been discharged from hospitals while the state now had 34,272 active cases, it added.

A man pulls a handcart as another rides a motorcycle carrying goods near a wholesale vegetable market which was closed after a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Bengaluru, India, Tuesday, June 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

East Godavari district is now the major coronavirus hotbed in Andhra Pradesh. It registered a record 1,391 cases in a day and crossed the 10,000-mark in the aggregate tally. East Godavari also saw 14 Covid-19 deaths, the single largest number in a district in a day so far.

Telangana officials say coronavirus widely spread at community level

According to state health department officials, the Covid-19 infection has “widely” spread at the “community level” in Telangana. The state, which has faced criticism for low testing and alleged data fudging, has become the third Indian state to declare the onset of community transmission of the virus.

“Coronavirus has gone to the community level. The next three to four weeks will be very crucial…especially in Hyderabad. We have to enforce strict containment zones,” State Director of Public Health Dr G Srinivasa Rao said on Thursday.

Telangana reported 1,567 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, raising the state’s case count to 50,826. Of this, Hyderabad alone reported 662 cases.

Over 10,000 new Covid-19 cases recorded in Maharashtra

A doctor checks the temperature of a woman during a free medical camp in Dharavi, one of Asia’s largest slums in Mumbai, India, Saturday, June 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

An unprecedented surge of 10,576 new cases was witnessed in Maharashtra on Friday, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 3,37,607. As many as 5,552 patients were discharged since yesterday, bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,87,769.

This past week, Maharashtra has consistently been reporting over 8,000 cases, mainly driven by a surge in Pune, which right now is detecting over 3,000 cases every day, more than any other city in the country.

MHA issues advisory for Independence Day celebration

In its advisory for the upcoming Independence Day celebrations, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has urged all government offices, states, and governors to avoid congregating in public places. Technology should be used to facilitate any programmes planned for the day, the MHA said.

At the state and district level, the MHA has directed authorities to enforce the wearing of masks and strict social distancing norms at flag hoisting ceremonies scheduled to take place on August 15. The Ministry has also urged states and districts to invite Covid-19 warriors, including doctors and sanitation workers, to participate in the ceremony.

A health worker prepares before entering an Isolation center for Covid19 at CWG in New Delhi on Friday. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

Meanwhile, no school children will participate in the Independence Day celebrations this year. “At the Red Fort, instead of the 900-1,000 invitees every year, around 250 people will be present as the Prime Minister addresses the nation,” an official with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) told The Indian Express.

More domestic violence complaints in red zones during lockdown: study

According to a recent study by researchers at the University of California, there was a considerable spike in complaints of domestic violence and cyber crime against women in India’s red zones, where stricter restrictions were imposed due to high Covid caseloads.

The researchers compiled complaints registered with India’s National Commission for Women and mapped them on to districts in the red, orange and green zones, before cross-checking the findings with Google Mobility and Search trends.

Overall, there were 392 complaints of domestic violence registered with the NCW’s Complaint and Investigation Cell in May this year compared to 266 in May 2019. The study also found that there was a dip in the number of complaints of harassment, sexual assault and rape.

People drive past a mural honouring the warriors of COVID-19, during unlock-2, in New Delhi, on Thursday, July 2, 2020. (Express Photo By Amit Mehra)

Minor sexually assaulted, filmed at Covid centre in Delhi: Police

A minor girl, who was admitted to a Covid care centre in Delhi after testing positive for coronavirus, was allegedly sexually assaulted by a fellow patient inside the facility on July 15. Police have arrested the accused, as well as a second person who allegedly filmed the assault.

In her complaint, the minor alleged that the 19-year-old patient sexually assaulted her inside a bathroom at the centre. She accused another 19-year-old patient of recording the incident on his phone.

“We have registered a case against the two men under the POCSO Act and IPC 376 (sexual assault). The accused have been arrested and sent to judicial custody but will remain in institutional care till they recover from the infection. We are investigating the matter further,” Additional DCP (South district) Parvinder Singh said.