COVID-19: India reports 3,992 new cases; 108 more deaths
India on Tuesday reported nearly 4,000 new COVID-19 cases, a decline of over 300 cases from the previous day. The active caseload in the country currently stands at 49,948, which accounts for 0.12% of the total cases. In the past 24 hours, 3,993 new cases and 108 fatalities were reported. Meanwhile, India's COVID-19 recovery rate has reached 98.68%.
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India on Tuesday reported fewer COVID-19 cases than the day before. Both active caseload and the weekly positivity rate are also witnessing a steady decline. Notably, India's daily tally dropped below the 5,000-mark on Tuesday for the first time in 662 days. This comes after India witnessed a massive spurt in coronavirus infections in December-end and at the beginning of January.
Over 8,000 patients discharged
According to data shared by the Union Health Ministry, India reported a total of 4,29,71,308 COVID-19 cases till Tuesday morning, while the cumulative death count reached 5,15,210. With 8,055 fresh discharges, the number of total recoveries in the country climbed to 4,24,06,150. The daily positivity rate and the weekly positivity rate were recorded at 0.46% and 0.68%, respectively.
Kerala adds most new cases
Maharashtra reported 225 new COVID-19 cases along with 461 more recoveries. Kerala, the second worst-hit state after Maharashtra, reported 1,223 new cases and 2,424 discharges. The third worst-hit Karnataka added 155 fresh cases and 349 recoveries. Tamil Nadu, the fourth worst-hit state, witnessed 158 new cases and 512 discharges. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh reported 61 new cases and 237 recoveries.
India's second wave peaked on May 7
India's second wave peaked on May 7, 2021, 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 declined after the second wave peaked, India crossed the three-crore mark on June 23. The country crossed the one-crore mark on December 19, 2020, and the two-crore mark on May 4, 2021.
Over 179 crore vaccine doses administered
Till 10:30 am on Tuesday, India administered over 179 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses. Overall, over 80.3 crore people have been fully vaccinated, while more than 96.7 crore people have received one dose. On Tuesday alone, India administered over 1,45,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses till 10:30 am, including over 1,18,000 second doses and over 16,000 first doses, according to Co-WIN.
1.95 crore 'precautionary' doses administered
Meanwhile, India has administered over 1.95 crore "precautionary" doses since January 10. On Tuesday, over 4,100 healthcare/frontline workers and over 9,100 elderly people were given the precautionary dose till 10:30 am.
Unvaccinated people account for 92% COVID-19 deaths: Centre
Unvaccinated people account for 92% of COVID-19-related deaths since January this year, the government said last week. "It is evident that vaccines and the wide vaccination coverage have played a very important role in protecting hundreds of lives," said Dr. VK Paul, member (health) of NITI Aayog. "The vaccine has protected the nation from a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases," Paul added.
