Amaravati, Jul 17 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh has yet again reported an all-time single-day high of 2,602 new coronavirus cases in the last 24-hour cycle ending 9 am on Friday, the third day in a row, taking the state's total tally to 40,646.

There are now 19,814 active cases since 20,298 corona patients have been cured and discharged in Andhra Pradesh.

Health officials said that eight districts recorded new cases running into triple figures -- East Godavari's highest 643 cases, Guntur 367 cases, Chittoor 328 cases, Kurnool 315 cases, Anantapur 297 cases, Srikakulam 149 cases, Nellore 127 cases, and West Godavari 109 cases.

Vizianagaram with 89 cases, Kadapa (55), Prakasam (53), Krishna (37), and Visakhapatnam (23) were low-incidence districts.

On Friday, the state reported 42 deaths, slightly lower compared with an all-time high of 44 deaths on Wednesday. As per the latest update, the deaths occurred in 12 of the 13 districts.

The death toll in Andhra Pradesh has now shot up to 534, health officials said.

The day's high of six deaths were reported from Anantapur district, and five each from Chittoor, East Godavari, and Prakasam districts.

On the other hand, Guntur and West Godavari districts reported four deaths each, while two deaths each were reported from Kadapa and Visakhapatnam. Vizianagaram and Krishna districts reported one death each.

As of Friday morning, 837 persons were discharged from hospitals and Covid treatment centres.

Only eight positive cases were detected among returnees from other states to Andhra Pradesh. Of these, six were returnees from Telangana and two from Karnataka.

Till date, 2,461 corona cases have been reported among state returnees. The active cases in this category are 356, as 2,105 persons have recovered till date.

Friday morning also saw two new corona cases among overseas returnees -- one from Kuwait and second with travel history to South Korea.

The corona patients in this category total 434, with 381 persons cured and discharged. As of Friday, 53 patients in this category are under treatment in the state.