COVID-19: India reports 8K+ infections; 195 more deaths
India on Wednesday reported over 8,000 new COVID-19 cases with an active caseload of over 93,000, the lowest in 555 days. Active cases now account for just 0.27% of the total cases, the lowest since March 2020. Correspondingly, the recovery rate was recorded at 98.36%. Meanwhile, India's daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.70%. It has been under 2% for the last 65 days.
Why does it matter?
India on Wednesday recorded 23% higher cases of COVID-19 infections than the day before. However, the country's active caseload and weekly positive rate have been recording a steady decline. With no new Omicron variant cases since Monday, India's Omicron tally remained at 23. Meanwhile, the majority of the country's active infections are still concentrated in Kerala.
Over 9K patients discharged
According to the Union Health Ministry, India reported a total of 3,46,56,822 COVID-19 cases till Wednesday morning. The death toll reached 4,73,952. With 9,525 fresh discharges, India's recoveries stand at 3,40,89,137. In the past 24 hours, 8,439 new cases and 195 fresh fatalities were reported. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 0.76%. It has remained under 1% the last 24 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 adds majority of cases
Maharashtra reported 699 new COVID-19 cases along with 1,087 more recoveries. Kerala, the second worst-hit state after Maharashtra, reported 4,656 new cases and 5,180 discharges. The third worst-hit Karnataka added 299 new cases and 260 recoveries. Tamil Nadu, the fourth worst-hit state, reported 710 new cases and 731 recoveries. Andhra Pradesh reported 184 new cases and 204 recoveries.
Nearly 130 crore vaccine doses administered
Till 2 pm on Wednesday, India had administered nearly 130 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses. Overall, over 49 crore people have been fully vaccinated, while over 80.7 crore people have received at least one dose. On Wednesday alone, India administered over 44 lakh more COVID-19 vaccine doses till 2 pm, including over 32.8 lakh second doses, and nearly 11.5 lakh first doses, according to CoWIN.
Omicron not more severe than Delta: US expert
Early studies indicate that the Omicron variant is "certainly not more severe" than the Delta variant, top United States scientist Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday. He cautioned that it would take weeks to ascertain the variant's severity. The new variant is "certainly" more transmissible than the Delta variant as studies indicate re-infections are higher with Omicron, Dr. Fauci told AFP.
