Gujarat's coronavirus death rate highest; Bengal reports surge in new cases

Active cases in India consistently on the rise, with no drop for the fourth straight day

The global count of coronavirus infections is currently at 14.2 million, of which more than 5 million cases are currently active. Globally, more than 600,000 people have lost their lives in the pandemic. The US continues to be the worst affected country in the world, with daily new cases still on the ascent. 

India now has more than 1 million confirmed cases, of which, 358,692 cases are currently active, while 653,750 people have made a successful recovery. The country’s death toll stands at 26,273, with three-fourth of all fatalities happening in just four states – Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat. 

Here are some data points on the spread of the virus in India and the world:

#1 Active cases in India are rising rapidly

Active cases in India are consistently on the rise, with no drop for the fourth consecutive day now. The country added the highest ever number of active cases in a single day on July 17, at 16,219. For the past week, every single day has seen more than 6,000 active cases added to the tally. 

#2 Gujarat’s death rate is the highest, almost twice as much as the national average

Among the worst-affected states in India, Gujarat’s death rate is the highest. It is also the state with the fourth-highest death toll in the country, at over 2,000 fatalities. Gujarat’s death rate is at 4.5 per cent. In comparison, Maharashtra and Delhi, which have a higher number of total deaths, have death rates of 3.9 per cent and 3 per cent respectively. National average death rate stands at 2.5 per cent.

#3 West Bengal is witnessing a surge in fresh cases

There is a steep spike in daily new cases in West Bengal. As compared to the beginning of the month, daily new cases have risen by almost three times to over 1,800 fresh cases in a single day. Since July 10, daily new cases have been consistently above 1,000. The state’s confirmed case count stands at 38,011, among the top ten in the country. Over 14,000 cases are currently active, with over 1,000 fatalities.