India records spike in daily COVID cases; 2,067 infections in 24 hrs
India on Wednesday recorded a 66 per cent rise in daily COVID-19 cases with 2,067 new infections being reported in the last 24 hours. This took the country’s total tally to 4,30,47,594 while the active cases increased to 12,340.
According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday, the death toll climbed to 5,22,006 with 40 fresh fatalities.
The active cases comprise 0.03 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate remained at 98.76 per cent, the ministry said. An increase of 480 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.49 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 0.38 per cent, according to the health ministry.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,25,13,248, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.21 per cent. The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 186.90 crore.
On Tuesday, the Centre advised Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and Mizoram, states which have reported a slight increase in infections, to monitor the spread of cases and take steps to curb them. The Centre also instructed Kerala to keep “an effective watch and pre-emptive action to contain any imminent surge”.
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.
The 40 new fatalities include 34 from Kerala, three from Maharashtra, and one each from Uttar Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.
A total of 5,22,006 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,47,830 from Maharashtra, 68,649 from Kerala, 40,057 from Karnataka, 38,025 from Tamil Nadu, 26,160 from Delhi, 23,502 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,200 from West Bengal.
The ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to co-morbidities.
“Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
(With inputs from agencies)
