India reported 86,508 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours taking its coronavirus tally past the 57-lakh mark, shows the Health Ministry's COVID-19 data; the country reported 1,129 deaths in this period.
With 87,374 people having beaten COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the number of total recoveries remained more than the number of new infections for the sixth consecutive day, the data shows. The total coronavirus recoveries now stands at 46,74,987. The overall recovery rate in the country has crossed 81 per cent.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized the need to increase focus on "effective testing, tracing, treatment and surveillance" to bring the coronavirus outbreak in the country under control. In his virtual review meet with Chief Ministers of seven states with the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country this evening, he also spoke of the need for clear messaging to dispel rumours about testing.
"Effective messaging is also necessary because most COVID19 infections are without symptoms," PM Modi said. "In such a situation, rumours may rise. It might raise doubts in the minds of the people that testing is bad. Some people also make mistake of underestimating the severity of infection," he added.
