India has logged 66,23,815 coronavirus cases so far with 74,442 new infections. 903 deaths in the last 24 hours have pushed the total death count to 1,02,685. 76,737 patients have recovered from the infection in the country in the last 24 hours. With 55,86,703 people in the country having recovered since the beginning of the pandemic, the overall recovery rate is 84.3 per cent. India is the second worst-hit country in the world by the pandemic after the United States. The country reported its first case on January 30.Maharashtra, India’s worst COVID-19-affected state, added 12,548 new cases, with the total number of infected people reaching 14.43 lakh. Over 4 lakh restaurants, bars, and hotels in Maharashtra will reopen today after a gap of six months as part of the fifth phase of easing COVID-19 restrictions, called Unlock 5.In Andhra Pradesh, which has the highest number of coronavirus cases after Maharashtra, at least 27 students of Classes 9 and 10 in two schools in Vizianagaram district have tested positive for the virus. The schools are to reopen only on November 2 and the students were reportedly going to school to clear doubts after a declaration from their parents.Karnataka on Sunday reported 9,886 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the tally to over 6.3 lakh. 9,219 people have lost battle against Covid in the state.Tamil Nadu reported 5,622  new infections and 65 deaths on Sunday. The state’s COVID-19 tally now stands at 6.14 lakh. State capital Chennai reported over 1,000 cases for the tenth straight day even as suburban trains in the city resume today, for only essential services workers. In the last 24 hours, 2,258 new cases have come up capital Delhi. 34 deaths have been reported .This is the third day in a row that the city has reported less than 3,000 new cases. Delhi has a total of 2.87 lakh cases.The Finance Ministry has said in its September economic review report that India may have “crossed the peak of coronavirus caseload”, stressing that “consequent demand resurgence is palpable in many sectors”.Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said the government plans to provide Covid vaccines to around 25 crore (250 million) people – of the country’s 130 crore (1.3 billion) – by July 2021. He said the government would receive between 400 and 500 million vaccine doses for this purpose and that it would ensure “equitable access”. India and South Africa want the World Trade Organization (WTO) to waive intellectual property rules to make it easier for developing countries to produce or import COVID-19 drugs, a letter to the WTO shows. In a  letter dated October 2, the two countries called on the global trade body to waive parts of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), which governs patents, trademarks, copyright and other intellectual property rules globally.Global coronavirus infections have soared past 3.51 crore, as countries tighten restrictions to halt the health crisis that has upended life for most of humanity.The US remains the country hit hardest by far by the health crisis gripping the world, with over 2.09 deaths.
