May 25: Daily COVID-19 cases in India fall below 2-lakh mark after over one month
New Delhi, May 25: The daily count of coronavirus cases in the country fell below the 2-lakh mark after over a month taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,69,48,874, while the death toll rose to 3,07,231, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.
A total of 1,96,427 new coronavirus infections were reported in a day. The country also reported the lowest death toll in 21 days with 3,511 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
India had registered 1,84,372 new coronavirus infections on April 14.
The active cases have further reduced to 25,86,782 comprising 9.60 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 89.26 per cent.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,40,54,861, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.14 per cent, the data stated.
India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of 2 crore on May 4.
According to the ICMR, 33,25,94,176 samples have been tested up to May 24 with 20,58,112 samples being tested on Monday.
The 3,511 new fatalities include 592 from Maharashtra, 529 from Karnataka, 404 from Tamil Nadu, 207 from Delhi, 196 from Kerala, 187 from Punjab, 153 each from Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, 122 from Uttarakhand and 103 from Rajasthan.
A total of 3,07,231 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 89,212 from Maharashtra, 25,811 from Karnataka, 23,409 from Delhi, 20,872 from Tamil Nadu, 19,362 from Uttar Pradesh, 14,517 from West Bengal, 13,468 from Punjab and 12,646 from Chhattisgarh.
The ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.
"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Porsche car crash case exposed systemic corruption: Pune police commissioner
Pune (PTI): The Porsche car crash case exposed "systemic corruption," but the Pune Police have successfully uncovered the nexus behind the replacement of the accused juvenile's blood samples with those of his mother, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said on Wednesday.
The case made national headlines after the high-end car allegedly driven by the 17-year-old boy in an inebriated state mowed down motorcycle-borne IT professionals Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Costa in the Kalyani Nagar area on May 19 last year.
"Last year’s Porsche car crash case sparked widespread discussions about Pune’s deteriorating social culture, alleged police corruption, and several other issues. Amid all the criticism, one positive aspect stood out: the case exposed systemic corruption.
"It also demonstrated how the police, working within the same system, managed to uncover the entire nexus behind the replacement of the juvenile’s blood samples with those of his mother," Kumar said while addressing Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, an initiative aimed at raising awareness against drug addiction, organised at Modern College.
He added that the juvenile has been released since he was a minor.
"However, his mother has remained in jail for over a year, and his father continues to be behind bars. Doctors from Sassoon Hospital and others involved are also still in jail," Kumar said, adding that one mistake by a child, and an attempt by his parents to cover it up, destroyed an entire family.
He said the police will follow up on this case until every guilty person is punished.
Kumar also appealed to students to stay away from intoxicating substances and drugs.
"You are not only endangering your own life but also putting your entire family at risk," he said, urging the youth not to fall prey to harmful addictions.
"Instead, stand strong and act as a force to ensure that drug abuse is curbed in your surroundings. We assure you of full police support," he added.
He further stated that if youth from all colleges unite and decide to end this menace, "the day is not far when not even one gram of drug will be sold in the city".
The investigation into the car crash had revealed that the juvenile's blood samples were replaced with those of his mother.
The roles of Dr Ajay Taware, head of the forensic department, Medical Officer Shreehari Halnor, and a hospital staffer came under scrutiny.
While the mother is currently out on bail, the juvenile’s father, Sassoon Hospital doctors Taware and Halnor, staffer Atul Ghatkamble, two middlemen, Ashpak Makandar and Amar Gaikwad, and others remain in jail for the alleged blood sample swap.
