Covid-19 Factoid: India sees its biggest single-day jump in active cases

The share of active cases in total tally is the highest in the US, Russia and India

Global confirmed case count currently stands at 5.43 million and the death toll has risen to 344,417. At present, one in every 10 infected people in the world on average succumbs to the infection.

In India, the case count has now gone past 131,000, and approximately 40 per cent of them have recovered. The death toll stands at 3,867. In the worst affected state of the country, Maharashtra, the tally is dangerously close to crossing the 50,000 mark.

Here are some data points on the spread of the virus:

1. South America is emerging as the new epicentre

South America has emerged as a major cause for concern, with the continent’s share in daily new cases tripling within a month to 21 per cent in May. Brazil, the most affected country in this region, has quickly become the second most affected in the world by total confirmed cases. While South America’s share has grown rapidly, the contribution of North America and Europe has declined marginally.

2. The US, Russia and India have highest share of active cases in total

The US not only tops the charts in terms of confirmed Covid-19 cases but it also has the highest proportion of active cases. About 67 per cent of the 1.66 million reported cases in the country are yet to see an outcome. The US is followed by Russia and India, with the share of active cases in their total at 66 per cent and 56 per cent, respectively.

China, where the Covid-19 outbreak started, has the smallest share of active cases, at 0.1 per cent. After China, it is Germany and Iran where active cases account for less than 20 per cent of the total.

3. India has witnessed its biggest single-day spike in the number of active cases

India on May 24 registered its highest-ever single-day spike in the number of active cases – of nearly 4,000. The country’s total count has risen by more than 6,000 on each of the past three days, while its daily recoveries have hovered around the 3,000 mark.