India’s coronavirus count rose to 81,84,082 on Sunday with 46,963 new cases being recorded in the last 24 hours, data from the health ministry showed. The country’s toll increased by 470 to 1,22,111. The number of active cases stood at 5,70,458, while the recoveries reached 74,91,513.
The recovery rate stood at 91.54%, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.49%. The number of active coronavirus cases remained below 6 lakh for the third consecutive day.
Cases in India have dropped sharply from September’s peak, but experts have warned that the festival season could lead to another increase.
Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 4.59 crore people and killed 11,94,325, according to the Johns Hopkins University. Over 2.95 crore people have recovered from the infection.
On Saturday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a four-week lockdown across England as a second wave of infections threatened to overwhelm the hospitals, BBC reported. “Now is the time to take action because there’s no alternative,” the prime minister said at a news conference in Downing Street. “Christmas is going to be different this year, perhaps very different, but it’s my sincere hope and belief that by taking tough action now we can allow families across the country to be together.”
Johnson said pubs, restaurants, gyms and non-essential shops will have to be closed for four weeks from Thursday. Schools, colleges and universities can stay open. The restrictions will last until December 2.
The United Kingdom recorded 21,915 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, bringing the total since the pandemic began to 10,11,660.
“We have got to be humble in the face of nature,” Johnson added, according to AFP. “In this country, alas, as in much of Europe, the virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst-case scenario of our scientific advisers.”
On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel also ordered their countries back into lockdown. “We are all in the same position: overrun by a second wave which we know will be harder, more deadly than the first,” Macron had said. “The virus is circulating at a speed that not even the most pessimistic forecasts had anticipated.”
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