With 66 new COVID-19 cases, Haryana records highest single-day spike

Haryana on Sunday registered its highest single-day increase in coronavirus cases with 66 new infections, taking the COVID-19 tally to 442, officials said.

Majority of the new cases are from NCR districts -- Faridabad, Gurgaon, Sonipat and Jhajjar.

Eighteen fresh cases were reported from Sonipat, 12 from Faridabad, nine from Gurgaon, 11 from Panipat, two each from Jhajjar and Palwal, four from Fatehabad, two from Yamunanagar and six from Jind, according to the state health department's daily bulletin.

Three doctors from Sonipat, four scribes from Panipat and four pilgrims from Fatehabad who returned from Hazur Sahib Gurdwara in Nanded, Maharashtra are among those infected with the virus, officials said.

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This was the highest single-day spike in cases, with previous being close to 30 last month.

Haryana's recovery rate, which had been one of the best in the country, dropped from 72 per cent to 55.43 per cent on Sunday, the official said.

According to the bulletin, 245 patients have been discharged from hospitals.

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Expressing concern over the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state, Health Minister Anil Vij said, "If Chief Minister M L Khattar asks me, I would advise him to put in stricter measures in view of the fresh developments."

Haryana has maintained that many of the coronavirus cases in its NCR districts have their origins in infections emanating from the national capital and authorities had ordered sealing of the districts with Delhi to check spread of infection.

The worst-affected districts of the state with maximum number of positive cases are Faridabad (73), Gurgaon (72), Nuh (58), Sonipat (44), Jhajjar (42) and Palwal (36).

The number of fatalities due to COVID-19 stands at five.

Among the total 442 coronavirus cases in Haryana, 64 are from other states and 24 are foreign nationals.

Out of these 24 foreigners, 13 Italian tourists have been discharged from hospitals, while one elderly woman died last month.