India’s covid-19 cases were recorded at two month high as country reported a single-day rise of 17,407 new cases in the last 24 hours, pushing the national tally to 1,11,56,923 on Thursday. With 89 fatalities in the same duration, the overall death toll has reached 1,57,435, the Union Health Ministry informed.
Along with the increase in daily cases, the positivity also rose to 1.55 per cent. As per the Ministry’s data, there are 1,73,413 active cases at present after 14,031 patients were discharged in a day.
India had reported its lowest total of the year on February 9 when just 9,110 were reported. Last year, the lowest 9,633 cases were recorded on June 3.
Till now, 1,08,26,075 persons have been discharged so far. The recovery rate has reduced to 97.03 per cent.
The Ministry also informed that 7,75,631 samples were tested on Wednesday. The cumulative tests done by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) so far stands at 21,91,78,908.
So far, 1,66,16,048 doses of corona vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on January 16 after approval for ‘Covishield’ and ‘Covaxin’.
The third phase of vaccination against Covid-19 pandemic began on Monday which aims to cover 27 crore of people above 60 and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities at government and private centres across the nation.
While people will be vaccinated free of cost at government hospitals, those taking the shots at private hospitals will have to pay.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was administered the vaccine dose on Monday at AIIMS Delhi, while President Ram Nath Kovind took the vaccine shot yesterday.
Here’re more updates:
*Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur took the first dose of the Covid vaccine at AIIMS, today.
*Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka continue to report surge in number of daily new cases, accounting for 85.51 per cent of fresh cases in country: Health ministry
*Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman receives her first dose of Covid vaccine, at Fortis hospital, Vasant Kunj, Delhi.
*Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal received his first dose of covid-19 vaccine along with his parents at LNJP hospital in Delhi.
*Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal takes the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at Tirath Ram Shah Hospital.
*The total number of global Covid-19 cases has topped 115.1 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 2.55 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.