India on Sunday recorded 45,684 Covid-19 cases, pushing the tally in the country to 85,07,754, according to health ministry’s data. The toll rose by 559 to 1,26,121 in the last 24 hours. There are 5,12,665 active cases and 78,68,968 recoveries.
India has tested 11,77,36,791 samples so far, the Indian Council of Medical Research said.
Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 4.97 crore people and killed 1,249,515, according to the John Hopkins University data. The recoveries stood at 32,728,464.
Government officials told a parliamentary committee that air pollution may lead to faster spread of the coronavirus infection, as it causes coughing and sneezing. “Higher air pollution may increase episodes of coughing and sneezing spreading Covid-19 faster,” the health ministry said in a presentation to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Urban Development. “More particle surface for the virus to stick to and get transported over greater distance and may potentially survive longer.”
Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka have banned the use of firecrackers ahead of Diwali, citing the coronavirus spread among their reasons.
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