COVID-19: India reports 10K+ infections; 301 more deaths
India on Wednesday reported over 10,000 new COVID-19 cases with an active caseload of 1.28 lakh, the lowest in 527 days. Active cases now account for just 0.37% of the total cases. Correspondingly, the recovery rate was recorded at 98.28%, the highest since March 2020. Meanwhile, India's daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.82%. It has been under 2% for the last 44 days.
Why does it matter?
India on Wednesday recorded 15% higher COVID-19 cases than the day before. However, the country has been witnessing a gradual decline in both the active caseload and weekly positivity rate. India's weekly positivity rate remained under 1% for the third consecutive day. Meanwhile, most new cases are concentrated in Kerala, which accounts for roughly 50% of the country's active infections.
India's tally crosses 3.44 crore
According to the Union Health Ministry, India reported a total of 3,44,66,598 COVID-19 cases till Wednesday morning. The death toll reached 4,64,153. With 12,134 fresh discharges, India's recoveries stood at 3,38,73,890. In the past 24 hours, 10,197 new cases and 301 fresh fatalities were reported. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 0.96%. It has remained under 2% the last 54 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 new cases
Maharashtra reported 886 new COVID-19 cases along with 948 more recoveries. Kerala, the second worst-hit state after Maharashtra, reported 5,516 new cases and 6,705 discharges. The third worst-hit Karnataka added 255 new cases and 667 recoveries. Tamil Nadu, the fourth worst-hit state, reported 789 new cases and 913 recoveries. Andhra Pradesh reported 191 new cases and 416 recoveries.
114 crore vaccine doses administered
Till 4 pm on Wednesday, India had administered over 114 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses. Overall, nearly 38.4 crore people have been fully vaccinated, while over 75.8 crore people have received at least one dose. On Wednesday alone, India administered nearly 60 lakh more COVID-19 vaccine doses till 4 pm, including over 44.6 lakh second doses, and over 15.3 lakh first doses, according to CoWIN.
Generic versions of Pfizer's drug now allowed
Pharmaceutical company Pfizer on Tuesday announced that it had struck a deal with the global Medicines Patent Pool (MPP). This will make its prospective antiviral COVID-19 pill, Paxlovid, available more cheaply in the world's least wealthy countries. Pfizer will sub-license production of Paxlovid to generic manufacturers for supply in 95 low-and-middle-income nations covering around 53% of the world's population.
