New Delhi: The nationwide tally of COVID-19 cases neared 54,000 Thursday. More people tested positive for the deadly virus infection in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. However, the number of those having recovered also crossed 15,000.
New cases
At least 4,500 new cases have been detected across the country since Wednesday morning. The nationwide death toll has risen to 1,783, while fatalities were also reported from paramilitary forces.
A 55-year-old CISF head constable posted at the Mumbai international airport has succumbed to the novel coronavirus. Two BSF personnel have also died, officials said. The BSF also reported 41 new cases of infection, taking its tally of confirmed cases to 193.
A significant number of health workers and security personnel are among the ‘frontline warriors’ in the COVID-19 fight. Many of them have tested positive for the deadly virus in the recent days.
Policemen hit hard
In Maharashtra alone, at least 531 police personnel, including 51 officers and 480 constables, have tested positive. Of this, 39 have recovered so far, while five policemen have died.
While Maharashtra and Gujarat continue to top the nationwide tally, Tamil Nadu has crossed the 5,000 mark with 580 new cases. The death toll of the southern state has reached 37, with two more women succumbing to COVID-19 during the day.
Jammu and Kashmir also reported 18 fresh coronavirus cases, nine of them from three tertiary care hospitals in Srinagar. It took the total positive cases in the Union Territory to 793.
Cases increase in West Bengal
In West Bengal, the death toll rose to 79 after seven more fatalities, while 92 positive cases were detected in the last 24 hours. The state has reported 1,548 cases so far, out of which 1,101 are active cases. Thirty four new cases were reported from Odisha also, the biggest spike in the state. It took the tally of COVID-19 patients to 219.
Andhra Pradesh reported 56 new cases, taking its tally to 1,833. In Uttar Pradesh, 61 fresh cases got detected, taking its total to 3,059.
In its Thursday morning update, the Union Health Ministry said the COVID-19 death toll in the country has risen to 1,783. It also said the number of cases has climbed to 52,952. Thus 89 new deaths and 3,561 fresh cases emerged since Wednesday morning.
PTI