HONG KONG, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Asia-Pacific countries are on high alert as India's COVID-19 cases surpassed the 1.5-million mark on Wednesday while Japan's daily COVID-19 cases topped 1,000 for the first time.
India's COVID-19 tally crossed the 1.5 million-mark, reaching 1,531,669, the country's health ministry said.
The ministry said 768 new deaths from COVID-19 and 48,513 positive cases were reported during the past 24 hours across the country, taking the number of deaths to 34,193 and total cases to 1,531,669.
"The number of active cases in the country right now is 509,447," said the ministry.
Japan confirmed 1,002 new cases of COVID-19, exceeding 1,000 for the first time, according to the latest figures from the health ministry and local authorities.
In Tokyo, the epicenter of Japan's outbreak, 250 new cases were reported on Wednesday. The daily tally of the capital has been above 200 every day in the past week except once.
As of 5:30 p.m. local time Wednesday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide in Japan stood at 33,247, with the figure excluding 712 cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo.
Bangladesh reported over 3,000 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total to reach more than 232,000, with 3,035 deaths so far.
"3,009 fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 232,194," Senior Health Ministry official Nasima Sultana said in a briefing Wednesday afternoon.
"Thirty-five deaths were reported in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh and total fatalities stood at 3,035," she said.
The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 2,381 within one day to 104,432, with the death toll adding by 74 to 4,975, the Health Ministry said.
The ministry also said 1,599 more people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 62,138.
The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines surged to 85,486 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,874 new infections.
The DOH said that the number of recoveries further rose to 26,996 after 388 more patients survived the disease.
The death toll also increased to 1,962 after 16 more patients died, the DOH said.
Premier of the Australian state of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk declared the city of Sydney to be a COVID-19 hotspot, as fears of a national backslide intensified.
Within Sydney there were 19 new infections recorded on Wednesday as a number of clusters originating in restaurants and bars across the city proved difficult to contain.
The State of Victoria remained the centre of Australia's current outbreak, with 295 infections recorded on Wednesday, however a spate of unknown transmissions within Sydney have many Australians increasingly on edge.
The Afghan Ministry of Public Health confirmed 105 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of patients in the country to 36,473.
One patient died within the period, taking the death toll to 1,271, a statement added. The total number of people having recovered from the virus reached 25,389 after 31 new recoveries were recorded since early Tuesday.
South Korea reported 48 more cases of the COVID-19 as of 0:00 a.m. Wednesday local time compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 14,251.
The daily caseload rebounded after staying below 30 for the past two days amid the continued imported cases and small cluster infections.
No more death was confirmed, leaving the death toll at 300. The total fatality rate stood at 2.11 percent.
Malaysia reported another 13 new COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said, bringing the national total to 8,956.
Of the remaining 220 active cases, two are being held in intensive care and one of those is in need of assisted breathing.
No new deaths had been reported, leaving the total deaths at 124.
Cambodia confirmed seven new imported COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections in the country to 233, said a Health Ministry's statement.
Four COVID-19 positive cases were found on Cambodian peacekeepers, who returned to Cambodia on July 10 from Mali after taking part in a United Nations peacekeeping mission, the statement said, adding that they are among a group of 80 returned Blue Helmet peacekeepers.
While three other new cases were detected on Cambodian men, who arrived in the kingdom on July 23 from Indonesia via a direct flight, the statement said, adding that their first tests turned out to be negative for the virus.
