COVID-19: India reported 6,800 infections; lowest in over 18 months
India on Tuesday reported over 6,800 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest single-day tally in the last 558 days. The active caseload is now roughly 95,014, the lowest in 554 days. Active cases account for just 0.27% of the total cases. Correspondingly, the recovery rate was recorded at 98.36%, the highest since March 2020. Meanwhile, India's daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.63%.
Why does it matter?
India on Tuesday reported the lowest number of daily COVID-19 cases in more than one-and-a-half years, reflecting a positive trend. India's active caseload and weekly positivity rate have also been declining steadily. However, the detection of 23 cases involving the Omicron variant from multiple states has sparked concerns. The variant is likely more transmissible but is said to trigger mild symptoms.
Over 10K patients discharged
According to the Union Health Ministry, India reported a total of 3,46,48,383 COVID-19 cases till Tuesday morning. The death toll reached 4,73,757. With 10,004 fresh discharges, India's recoveries stood at 3,40,79,612. In the past 24 hours, 6,822 new cases and 220 fresh fatalities were reported. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 0.78%. It has remained under 1% the last 23 days.
India's second wave peaked on May 7
India's second wave peaked on May 7, when 4.14 lakh single-day cases were reported, over four times the number of cases reported during the first wave in mid-September 2020. Although infections have declined since the second wave peaked, India crossed the three crore-mark on June 23. India had crossed the one crore-mark on December 19, 2020, and the 2 crore-mark on May 4, 2021
Kerala reports majority of cases
Maharashtra reported 518 new COVID-19 cases along with 811 more recoveries. Kerala, the second worst-hit state after Maharashtra, reported 3,277 new cases and 5,833 discharges. The third worst-hit Karnataka added 301 new cases and 359 recoveries. Tamil Nadu, the fourth worst-hit state, reported 719 new cases and 737 recoveries. Andhra Pradesh reported 122 new cases and 213 recoveries.
India's Omicron tally reaches 23
Meanwhile, India's total cases of Omicron variant has reached 23 after two more cases detected in Mumbai on Monday. The first two Omicron cases in India were reported from Karnataka, followed by one each in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Later on Sunday, Omicron cases were also reported from Delhi (one), Maharashtra's Pune (seven), and Rajasthan's Jaipur (nine).
Over 129 crore vaccine doses administered
Till 3 pm on Tuesday, India had administered over 129 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses. Overall, over 48.6 crore people have been fully vaccinated, while over 80.5 crore people have received at least one dose. On Tuesday alone, India administered over 52.3 lakh more COVID-19 vaccine doses till 3 pm, including over 37.5 lakh second doses, and roughly 14.8 lakh first doses, according to CoWIN.
Omicron scare: IMA warns of third wave
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Tuesday urged the government to inoculate healthcare and frontline workers with "additional" COVID-19 vaccine doses in the wake of the Omicron variant. The doctors' body demanded that the government also expedite vaccination for those between 12 to 18 years of age. The Omicron tally in India is bound to increase in the coming days, it further warned
