Over 11.54 lakh COVID-19 tests were conducted in a span of 24 hours.
India reported 89,706 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday, taking its total caseload to 43,70,128, data from the health ministry showed.
The country has the highest number of coronavirus infections after the United States, reporting the largest single-day increases in cases every day for more than a month.
Over 11.54 lakh COVID-19 tests were conducted in a span of 24 hours taking India's cumulative tests to over 5.18 crore so far, while during the same period nearly 75,000 people have recuperated from the disease taking the total number of recoveries to 33,98,844 in the country, the Centre said on Wednesday.
Timely diagnosis through higher levels of countrywide testing has furnished valuable opportunities to isolate or hospitalize the positive cases adequately in advance for appropriate treatment. This in turn has facilitated lower mortality rates (1.69 per cent as on date) and speedy recovery, the Union Health Ministry underlined.
Here are the Updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Cases:
The Punjab government on Wednesday said the lockdown will now remain in force only on Sundays in all 167 municipal towns of the state till September 30.
There will be no lockdown on Saturdays.
A spokesperson for the Punjab government said Chief Minister Amarinder Singh directed the relaxation of some of the lockdown restrictions in urban areas after reviewing the Covid-19 situation in the state.
He said the movement of individuals for all non-essential activities would remain prohibited between 9:30 pm to 5:00 am within municipal limits of all cities of Punjab throughout the week.
Essential activities and services such as the movement of persons and goods on national and state highways, inter-state and intra-state movements, unloading of cargo and travel of persons to their destinations after disembarking from buses, trains and aeroplanes, however, would be permitted.
The first dedicated COVID-19 hospital in Kerala, built by the Tata Group, was inaugurated in Kasargod on Wednesday by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who said it was an excellent example of how Public Private Partnership can be put to good use.
Built by the Tata Group using prefabricated containers in just five months at a cost of Rs 60 crore, the 551 bed hospital has 36 ventilators for the patients.
The Chief Minister, who inaugurated the hospital through video conferencing, thanked the Tata Group for showing interest in the health sector of Kerala.
"The Covid hospital constructed by the Tata group, which will take care of the people during the pandemic, is an excellent example of how Public-Private Partnership can be put to good use," Mr Vijayan said.
The 80,000 sq ft-hospital has been built on five acres of land at Thekkil village in Kasaragod.
