INDIA’S health ministry Thursday morning said 775 new deaths due to COVID-19, on top of 52,123 fresh positive cases, were reported during the past 24 hours across the country, taking the number of deaths to 34,968 and the total cases to 1,583,792.

This is the highest single day spike in terms of fresh COVID-19 cases in the country so far.

On Wednesday morning, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country was 1,531,669, and the death toll was 34,193.

The number of active cases in the country right now is 528,242, according to the ministry.

On Wednesday the Indian Government announced the guidelines for “Unlock 3,” which is slated to begin from Aug. 1. As per the guidelines, schools and educational institutions will remain shut till August 31. Restrictions on movement of individuals during night (or night curfew) have been removed.

Yoga institutes and gymnasiums will be allowed to open from Aug. 5, as international air travel of passengers has been permitted in a limited manner.

The Indian Government is presently focusing on ramping up the number of tests carried out every day.

Global COVID-19 cases topped 17 million Thursday, statistics of the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University showed.

(Xinhua)