Amaravati, Aug 28 (PTI): Andhra Pradesh on Friday went past the grim mark of four lakh COVID-19 cases as over 10,000 were added afresh for the third straight day.

The number of people cured of the infection increased to over three lakh, the latest government bulletin said.

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It took just 10 days, the shortest span so far, for the number of coronavirus cases to swell from three to four lakh in the state.

Going by the pace at which new cases are being added, AP is expected to climb to the second spot, behind Maharashtra, in the overall national tally, surpassing neighbouring Tamil Nadu, which had crossed the four lakh mark on Thursday, in a day or two.

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As on Friday, the COVID-19 count in AP read 4,03,616 total cases, 3,03,711 recoveries and 3,714 deaths.

The active cases stood at 96,191. The bulletin said 10,526 fresh positive cases were reported in the state from 61,331 tests.

In the 24 hours ending 9 am on Friday, 8,463 coronavirus patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery while another 81 succumbed.

The state completed 35.41 lakh sample tests so far, showing an infection positivity rate of 11.40 per cent. AP reached the 10,000 cases mark on June 24, 50,000 on July 20, one lakh on July 27, 1.50 lakh on August 1, two lakh on August 7 and 2.50 lakh on August 12. It touched the three- lakh mark on August 18. It took 170 days for the state to go from just one to four lakh (cases) after the first person tested positive for the contagion on March 12.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)