India reports highest-ever single day spike of nearly 21,000 COVID cases in last 24 hours

India reported 379 deaths and the highest single-day spike of 20,903 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, as of Friday morning. The total number of coronavirus cases in India has increased to 6,25,544 including 2,27,439 active cases, 3,79,892 cured and discharged and 18,213 deaths, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. A total of 20,032 COVID patients in India were declared cured and recovered in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra remains the worst-hit state with over 1,86,626 coronavirus cases in the state that include 8,178 deaths while Tamil Nadu has 98,392 cases out of which 1,321 patients have succumbed to the pandemic. The national capital has so far reported 92,175 cases out of which 2,864 patients have died due to the contagion disease. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Friday stated that the total number of samples tested up to July 2 is 92,97,749 of which 2,41,576 samples were tested on Thursday. Also Read | Veteran Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan dies of cardiac arrest Meanwhile, the ICMR DG Balram Bhargava wrote a letter to Bharat Biotech and principal investigators of medical colleges to complete the trial procedure of coronavirus vaccine so that the results of the clinical trials can be launched by August 15. The coronavirus cases have been rising ever since the government of India has announced several relaxations in the restrictions imposed during the lockdown. -PTC News