Patients play a board game during the leisure time at a COVID-19 care center in New Delhi, India, July 19, 2020. India Sunday witnessed a record single-day jump of 38,902 COVID-19 cases pushing its tally to 1,077,618 including 26,816 deaths. (Xinhua/Partha Sarkar)

NEW DELHI, July 19  -- India's federal health ministry Sunday morning said 543 new deaths due to COVID-19 and 38,902 more cases were reported during the past 24 hours across the country, taking the number of deaths to 26,816 and total cases to 1,077,618.

This is the highest single-day spike in terms of new COVID-19 cases in the country so far.

According to ministry officials, so far 677,423 people have been discharged from hospitals after showing improvement.

"The number of active cases in the country right now is 373,379," reads the information.

Presently the country has entered Unlock 2.0 phase, though restrictions remain in full force inside the COVID-19 Containment Zones. Commercial international flights to and from India are suspended until July 31.

Even as the COVID-19 cases continue to rise, human trials of vaccine -- COVAXIN developed by "Bharat Biotech" has started at a government-run hospital -- PGI Rohtak in northern state of Haryana on Friday.

"Three subjects were enrolled today. All have tolerated the vaccine very well. There were no adverse efforts," tweeted the state's Health Minister Anil Vij.