India adds 16,299 new COVID infections; active cases decline to 1,25,076

India logged 16,299 new COVID-19 infections, taking the total tally of cases to 4,42,06,996 while the active cases declined to 1,25,076, the Union Health Ministry data reported on Thursday.

The death toll climbed to 5,26,879 with 53 new fatalities which includes four deaths reported in Kerala, the data stated.

The active cases comprise 0.28 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.53 per cent, the ministry said.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year. It crossed the four-crore mark on January 25 this year.

Meanwhile, the Centre has given its nod to Corbevax as the first heterologous booster shot.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organisation (WHO), quoting its latest weekly pandemic report, announced that the number of COVID-19 deaths dropped by 9 per cent in the last week while new cases remained “relatively stable” across the world.

(With inputs from agencies)