India reports highest daily COVID-19 cases in 2023: Check tally
For the first time in 2023, India reported more than 1,100 COVID-19 daily cases, triggering fresh concerns among people about the recent outspread of the novel virus. On Wednesday, the country reported a single-day rise of 1,134 new coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, the number of active cases has surpassed 7,000, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.
Why does this story matter?
India's daily coronavirus tally has consistently risen over the past few weeks. This fresh spike in COVID-19 cases comes at a time when different parts of the country are also reporting a substantial rise in H3N2 influenza cases. Amid the H3N2 and COVID-19 double threat, the Health Ministry issued an advisory to states and union territories earlier and urged them to be extra cautious.
Total number of active COVID-19 cases in India at 7,026
The number of active cases in India has now reached 7,026, accounting for 0.02% of the total cases, while the fatality rate was reported at 1.19%. The Health Ministry report also revealed that the country's daily positivity rate was 1.09%, with the weekly positivity rate pegged at 0.98%. With Wednesday's 1,134 fresh cases, India's total number of COVID-19 cases reached 4.46 crore (4,46,98,118).
India's recovery rate at 98.80%
Furthermore, 4,41,60,279 recoveries were reported, bringing the national recovery rate to 98.80%. With one death reported in each of Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Gujarat, India's coronavirus death toll reached 5,30,813 on Wednesday. The data also revealed that 92.05 crore COVID-19 tests have been conducted so far, with 1,03,831 conducted in the past 24 hours.
Delhi reported nearly 100 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday
Notably, Delhi has been reporting a sharp increase in the number of new coronavirus cases over the last few days amid a significant spike in H3N2 influenza cases in India. On Tuesday, the national capital reported 83 coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 5.83%, the Health Department reported. The day before, it reported 34 cases, with a positivity rate of 6.98%.
New COVID-19 subvariant XBB 1.16 blamed for fresh spike
As per experts, the increase in cases is most likely due to the newly discovered COVID-19 subvariant XBB 1.16. The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) earlier revealed that a total of 76 XBB 1.16 subvariant samples have been detected in India. The country also reportedly has the most cases of XBB 1.16, closely followed by the United States (US).
All eyes should be on India, says expert
According to the former convenor of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, Vipin M Vashishtha, "All eyes should be on India!" "If XBB.1.16 aka Arcturus could succeed to wade through the 'sturdy' population immunity of Indians that successfully resisted the onslaught of variants like BA.2.75, BA.5, BQs, and XBB.1.5, then the whole world must be seriously worried!" Vashishtha was quoted by Mint.
