Coronavirus outbreak: India records more than 18,500 new COVID cases; Tally over 5.66 lakh

New Delhi, June 30: Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said the number of COVID-19 cases in India mounted to 5,66,840 and death toll stood at 16,893. These numbers came a day after the Centre issued guidelines for Unlock 2.

According to the Health Ministry, there were 18,522 new infections and 418 fatalities in the last 24 hours. The number of coronavirus patients cured continued to be more than active cases as 13,099 people were sent home between Monday and Tuesday morning.

There are 2,15,125 active cases of the coronavirus disease. The surge in India's COVID-19 tally continued as the government announced that educational institutions, Metro rail services and large gatherings will continue to remain banned during the second of a three-phase plan aimed at lifting restrictions imposed to stop the spread of infections.

Under the fresh guidelines, night curfew has been relaxed by an hour to aid economic activity. However, schools, colleges and coaching centres will remain closed till July 31.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has extended the lockdown by a month till July 31 and imposed stricter restrictions like reduced time allowed for shopping as its infection tally inched closer to the 170,000-mark.

All hospitals and COVID testing laboratories in Delhi have been asked to start rapid antigen detection tests to scale up its ongoing process of identifying symptomatic patients and isolating them immediately as Delhi is the first state to roll out antigen-based testing.