Coronavirus Update: India COVID-19 Tally Nears 3 Lakh Mark

In a worrying sign indicating the surge in coronavirus positive cases, India has now earned the dubious distinction of becoming the fourth worst-affected country in the world overtaking the United Kingdom in global rankings. The country also reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in a single day with over 10,000 cases being recorded over the last 24 hours. The all-India count has now inched close to 3,00,000 cases with the tally now reaching 2,97,535 as per the latest update put out on Friday morning by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

There have been 8,498 deaths across the country. India now has 1,41,842 active cases across the states, while 1,47,194 patients have been cured or discharged.

Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat and Rajasthan are among the states which contribute the most to the overall caseload in the country.

Maharashtra, the worst-hit state in the country, has been grappling with the coronavirus as numbers soar. The state's COVID-19 count is inching towards the 1 lakh mark and now stands at 97,648. Maharashtra has reported a death count of 3,590.

Tamil Nadu is among the worst hit states with overall COVID-19 tally in the state now jumping to 38,716. Tamil Nadu has recorded 349 fatalities. The state's death tally has been mired in controversy with reports 236 fatalities not having been included in the death count reported so far. The Tamil Nadu government has formed a panel to probe the lapse.

Delhi has been in the throes of the worst-ever crisis to hit the national capital as coronavirus cases mount. The tragedy has been compounded by politics over the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tally of confirmed coronavirus patients in the national capital has now climbed to 34,687. The Delhi death count now stands at 1,085.

Gujarat has also been in the news with the opposition accusing the Vijay Rupani-led BJP government in the state of mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic. The state's COVID-19 tally has now reached 22,032 with the death count mounting to 1,385.

Uttar Pradesh has been recording a rise in COVID-19 numbers with the state's tally now crossing the 12,000 mark and reaching 12,088 confirmed coronavirus cases and 345 deaths.

Rajasthan has reported 11,838 confirmed coronavirus patients so far with 265 deaths.

Madhya Pradesh has reported 10,241 confirmed COVID-19 cases with the total death count in the state now reaching 431.

West Bengal has neared the 10,000 mark and has so far reported 9,768 cases of coronavirus with 442 deaths.

Karnataka has reported 6,245 cases of COVID-19 with 72 deaths.

Bihar has seen a sharp spike in the number of COVID-19 cases with the tally approaching the 6,000 mark and reaching 5,983. Bihar's death count stands at 36.