A report, prepared by SBI Research, has forecast that the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic could hit India next month (in August) and its peak would be seen a month later in September. The State Bank of India report is titled ‘Covid-19: the race to finishing line’.

“Going by the current data, India can experience daily Covid-19 cases around 10,000 somewhere around the second week of July. However, the cases can start rising by the second fortnight of August,” the report says, talking about the beginning of the third coronavirus wave.

The study, which bases its projections on historical trends, says the third wave peak is generally 1.7 times the peak of the second wave, as per global data.

In June as well, SBI had published a report which had projected that the third wave of the pandemic could be “as severe as the second” wave. However, that report had projected the deaths to be lower during the third wave compared to the second wave.

During the second wave of the pandemic, India had recorded its peak on May 7 when it reported a whopping 4,14,188 coronavirus cases over 24 hours.

Meanwhile, on Monday, July 5, India recorded a rise of 39,796 new coronavirus cases. India’s overall Covid-19 tally as of today stands at 3,05,85,229. The death toll is now 4,02,728 with the addition of 723 fresh fatalities.

Covid-19 active cases are now at 4,82,071, while the national recovery rate has improved to 97.11 per cent.

The daily positivity rate is at 2.61 per cent, while the weekly positivity rate has slid to 2.4 per cent.

The case fatality rate is now at 1.32 per cent.