Coronavirus India Updates, 04 July:

IE | New Delhi | July 4, 2020:  With 22,771 fresh cases within a span of 24 hours, the Covid-19 tally in India rose to 6,48,315 with as many as 18,655 fatalities. Following a steady rise, the number of recoveries increased to 3,94,226 and one patient has migrated, data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare indicated. “Thus, around 60.80 per cent of patients have recovered so far,” an official said.

Tamil Nadu has become the second Indian state, after Maharashtra, to cross the one lakh mark as 4,329 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours. The state’s death count too rose by 64, and currently stands at 1,385, government data revealed.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), as many as 2,42,383 samples were tested nationwide on Friday. At least 95,40,132 tests have been conducted so far. While the total number of active cases is at around 2.35 lakh (2,35,433), the overall number of people who have been cured, discharged or migrated is quickly approaching the 4 lakh mark (3,94,227). Meanwhile, the death toll is at 18,655.

CPI(M) alleges ICMR fast tracking COVID vaccine for PM announcement on I-Day

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was trying to fast track the production of a coronavirus vaccine so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could make the announcement on Independence Day, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Saturday.

Asserting that scientific advances cannot be “made to order”, Yechury tweeted: “A vaccine would be the most decisive redemption from the pandemic. The world is waiting for a safe vaccine, which is universally accessible. But…scientific advances can never be ‘made to order’. Forcing the development of an indigenous vaccine as a cure for COVID-19, bypassing all health and safety norms, to be announced by PM Modi on Independence Day is fraught with horrendous human costs.”

Assam opens plasma bank, first donor is doctor who recovered from Covid-19

The Assam government has opened a plasma bank at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) for treating coronavirus patients. The first donor was Dr Likhitesh, a post-graduate student of medicine at GMCH, who had tested positive for the disease in May, and was later cured.

State Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to Twitter to express his gratitude to Dr Likhitesh for donating plasma, and to the team working at the bank. “Glad to share that we’ve started a Plasma Bank at GMCH. The first convalescent donor is a doctor himself, a COVID-19 patient. My gratitude to Dr Lithikesh for donating his plasma, and to the team who is working on this bank. I encourage cured patients to come forward and donate,” he tweeted.

Out of total cases today, 134 were reported from Guwahati City. Take proper precautions & care to stay safe

↗️Total cases 9799

↗️Recovered 6327

↗️Active cases 3455

↗️Deaths 14

11:45 PM/July 03/ Day’s total