More than 41.04 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 1,127,177 have died, according to a Reuters tally. India's coronavirus infections rose by 55,839, taking its tally to 7.71 million, health ministry data showed on Thursday. Cases in India have dipped since a peak in September, but experts warn that infections could surge as the peak festival season approaches. India has the world's second-highest number of infections after the United States, which has a tally of 8.3 million. Virus deaths in the south Asian nation rose by 702 in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 116,616, the ministry added. Russia recorded 290 new deaths from COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing its official death toll to 25,242. Authorities reported 15,971 new coronavirus infections in the previous 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total to 1,463,306, the fourth highest in the world. In Germany, coronavirus infections again surpassed its record daily number, with the country's Robert Koch institute for disease control reporting 11,287 new cases on Thursday. The previous highest figure for cases recorded in a 24-hour period since the pandemic began was 7,830 on Saturday. Germany is currently recording more daily coronavirus cases than at the start of the pandemic in March, although testing has been ramped up significantly since then. There were likely many more undetected cases earlier in the year before testing capacity increased. Meanwhile, China reported 14 new coronavirus cases in the mainland for 21st October, compared with 11 cases a day earlier, the health commission said on Thursday. All 14 of the new infections were imported, according to a statement by the National Health Commission. China reported 25 new asymptomatic patients, compared with 15 a day earlier. As of Oct. 21, mainland China had 85,729 confirmed coronavirus cases, the health authority said. The COVID-19 death toll remained at 4,634. Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019. — Agencies
