India adds 16,047 new COVID-19 cases, 54 deaths in last 24 hours; positivity rate jumps to 4.94%

New Delhi: India reported 16,047 new cases of COVID-19 and 54 deaths, including six reconciled by Kerala, in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) informed on Wednesday morning. The new cases are 25.84 per cent higher than 12,751 fresh infections reported on Tuesday by the health ministry. The daily positivity rate has increased to 4.94 per cent from 3.50 per cent yesterday, while the weekly positivity rate was at 4.90 per cent. The country’s overall COVID-19 infection tally has now risen to 4,41,90,697 (4 crore 41 lakh 90 thousand 6 hundred and 97) cases. States reporting most number of COVID-19 cases National capital Delhi has recorded 2,495 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate stood at 15.41 per cent. Maharashtra logged 1,782 new COVID infections, while Uttar Pradesh reported 943 fresh cases. Tamil Nadu added 941 new coronavirus cases which also include five passengers, including four from Malaysia and one from Rajasthan, who returned to the state. Chennai reported the maximum of 202 infections followed by Coimbatore - 107 and Chengalpattu - 83. Jammu and Kashmir recorded 626 fresh COVID-19 cases, while Telangana added 494 fresh infections in the last 24 hours. COVID-19 active cases The has been a decrease in 3,546 cases in the active caseload in span of 24 hours. The country now has 1,28,261 (1 lakh 28 thousand 2 hundred and 61) active cases of COVID-19. Active cases currently stand at 0.29 per cent of the total cases. COVID-19 recoveries According to the health ministry, 19,539 patient recuperated from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours increasing total recoveries to 4,35,35,610 (4 crore 35 lakh 35 thousand 6 hundred and 10). The national COVID-19 recovery rate is now at 98.52 per cent. COVID-19 deaths Of the 54 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, six were reconciled by Kerala. Among the new 48 fatalities, seven each from Delhi, Maharashtra and Punjab. West Bengal reported five deaths, three each from Himachal Pradesh and Mizoram, two each from Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Odisha, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh and one each from Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand and Nagaland. COVID-19 testing According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 3,25,081 (3 lakh 25 thousand and 81) COVID-19 tests were conducted across the country in the last 24 hours. The Council said that since the start of the pandemic, 87,88,77,098 (87 crore 88 lakh 77 thousand and 98) samples have been tested for the novel coronavirus. COVID-19 vaccination The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive in India was started on 16 January, 2021 and since then over 207.03 crore vaccine doses have been administered to the eligible population of the country. As per the latest update by the health ministry, 15,21,429 (15 lakh 21 thousand 4 hundred and 29) vaccine doses were administered in the country in the last 24 hours. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.