Already with the third largest number of Covid cases in the world, India recorded its highest 38,902 cases in the last 24 hours. The number of deaths went up to 543, according to health ministry data.

As on 8 am today, the total number of positive coronavirus cases stood at 10,77,618 including 3,73,379 active cases, 6,77,423 cured/discharged/migrated and 26,816 deaths.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said 1,37,91,869 samples were tested for COVID-19 up to 18th July, of which 3,58,127 were tested yesterday.

In the meantime, the ICMR said it will conduct a multi-centric study to assess whether the BCG vaccine, used against tuberculosis, can prevent the occurrence of coronavirus infection and reduce the severity of the disease and mortality among elderly individuals residing in hotspot areas.

The study will be carried out in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi in approximately 1,500 healthy volunteers above 60-years of age, an ICMR scientist said.

Confirmed virus cases worldwide have topped 14 million and deaths have surpassed 600,000, according to Johns Hopkins University data, a day after the World Health Organisation reported a single-day record of new infections at over 237,000.