Total COVID-19 cases in India rise to 18,601; 590 dead

The nationwide lockdown has entered the 27th day even as the number of Coronavirus positive cases continues to rise daily.

As per the latest data released by the Union Health Ministry, the total COVID-19 cases in India stand at 18,601 and the death toll is 590. The tally of those cured, discharged from hospital stands at 3251.

While Gujarat, at over 1,800, has the third-highest number of confirmed coronavirus infections in India at present — the first two being Maharashtra and Delhi — Tamil Nadu is seeing some plateauing in the number of new cases.

Globally, 2,481,287 people have been infected and 170,436 have died so far, according to Worldometer.

During yesterday’s press briefing, the Health Ministry claimed that at least 80 per cent of the coronavirus positive cases have no or very mild symptoms.

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"Based on the worldwide analysis, out of 100 coronavirus patients, 80 per cent are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms," said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare.

“Around 15 per cent patients turn into severe cases and five per cent cases turn into the critical case”, he further added.

“80 out of 100 people do not show symptoms and therefore chances are that they test positive”, echoed Raman Gangakhedkar, head infectious disease and epidemiology at the Indian Council of Medical Research.