Recording the highest single-day spike in the number of COVID-19 coronavirus cases and deaths for the third consecutive day, India on Saturday reported 9,887 fresh cases and 294 fatalities.

With this jump, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has climbed to 2,36,657 and the death toll stands at 6,642, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has informed.

With over 2.36 lakh cases, India has overtaken Italy (234,531) as the sixth worst-hit country.

Of the total number, 1,15,942 are active cases while 1,14,073 people have been cured.

Meanwhile, the recovery rate saw a minor dip at 48.20 per cent from Friday’s 48.27 per cent.

However, India’s case fatality rate (CFR) or the proportion of deaths to the total number of cases has been steady at 2.8 per cent, much lower than the global mortality rate of 5.8 per cent, even as the number of cases has continued to see an upward trend.

Maharashtra has crossed the 80,000-mark and its death toll stands at 2,849, while Tamil Nadu has reported 28,694 COVID-19 cases and 232 fatalities. Delhi remains the third worst-hit area in the country with 26,334 infected people and 708 deaths.

Meanwhile, the Government has issued standard operating procedures on preventive measures to contain spread of novel Coronavirus for places of worship, shopping malls, restaurants and offices as they are set to reopen from June 8.

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry guidelines, which will come into effect from Monday, have directed all such places to ensure the protocol of social distancing with face masks mandatory for gaining entrance.

As a generic preventive measure, people above 65 years of age, children below the age of 10, persons with comorbidities and pregnant woman have been advised to stay at home.

The new guidelines aim to instill COVID appropriate behaviour to contain the chain of transmission while allowing social and economic activity to resume.

Meanwhile, the total number of global Coronavirus has increased to over 6.7 million, while the death toll has topped 394,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

With 1,897,239 confirmed cases and 109,127 deaths, the US currently accounts for the highest number of infections and fatalities in the world, according to the CSSE.

In terms of cases, Brazil comes in the second place with 614,941 infections.

Regarding fatalities, the UK continues in the second position after the US with 40,344 COVID-19 deaths, which also accounts for the highest fatalities in Europe.

The other countries with over 10,000 deaths are Brazil (34,021), Italy (33,774), France (29,114), Spain (27,134) and Mexico (13,170).