Huge jump in COVID-19 cases! Over 11,000 infections reported in last 24 hours

India saw a massive surge in COVID-19 cases as more than 11,000 infections were reported over the last 24 hours. The country reported 11,109 cases in the last 24 hours, as per the health ministry data on Friday. 

Active COVID-19 cases in India crossed the 49,000 mark on Friday to settle at 49,622. While 4,42,16,583 people recovered from the contagion, 5,31,064 succumbed to it. The COVID-19 recovery rate stood at 98.71 per cent whereas the fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. 

This is the fifth consecutive day when a rise in COVID-19 cases was reported this week. India reported 10,158 cases on Thursday whereas the infection tally stood at 7,830 on Wednesday. 

Watch: ‘Arcturus’ COVID-19 subvariant in India: Know its symptoms, prevention and more 

Delhi and Mumbai reported 1,527 and 1,635 active COVID-19 cases as of Thursday respectively. The COVID-19 positivity rate hit 27.77 per cent in Delhi, news agency PTI reported. Two COVID-related deaths were also reported in the national capital while no fatalities were reported in Mumbai. 

Meanwhile, there are reports of a new coronavirus subvariant causing a new symptom in children different from the spread of its parent Omicron. Former convenor of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics Committee on Immunisation said that children are reporting symptoms like “itchy” conjunctivitis without pus but with sticky eyes apart from high fever and cough. 

The Omicron subvariant Arcturus or XBB.1.16 is causing a rise in cases in India as well as Singapore, the US, the UK, and Australia among other countries.

Watch: Who is IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad owner Kavya Maran, whose pics from SRH vs PBKS match went viral

Watch: SS Rajamouli, SRK among TIME's 100 Most Influential; what Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone wrote about them

Watch: Aria becomes 2nd K-pop idol from India; check age, group, debut performance video, and more