India logs 16,299 new COVID-19 cases, 53 deaths in last 24 hours; Delhi reports eight fatalities, highest in six months

New Delhi: India reported 16,299 new COVID-19 cases and 53 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) informed on Thursday morning. The fresh infections of COVID-19 registered today are slightly higher than 16,047 cases reported by the health ministry on Wednesday. The tally of COVID-19 cases in the country has now increased to 4,42,06,996 (4 crore 42 lakh 6 thousand 9 hundred and 96). COVID-19 positivity rate India’s COVID-19 daily positivity rate stood at 4.58 per cent today, marginally lower than 4.94 per cent reported on Wednesday. The weekly positivity rate was at 4.85 per cent. Active COVID-19 cases There has been decline of 3,185 cases in the active caseload in span of 24 hours. There are now 1,25,076 (1 lakh 25 thousand and 76) active cases of COVID-19 in the country. Active cases stand at 0.28 per cent of the total cases. COVID-19: States/UTs reporting most number of cases Delhi logged 2,146 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate has jumped to 17.83 per cent, while the national capital reported eight deaths due to coronavirus, the highest in nearly six months. Maharashtra reported 1,847 fresh cases of COVID-19, including 852 in Mumbai. In Tamil Nadu, new coronavirus cases grew to 927, including five returnees from domestic and overseas. Chennai added majority of new cases with 186 people contracting the contagion. Gujarat reported 678 new COVID-19 cases, while Rajasthan logged 613 fresh infections. Telangana added 605 new COVID-19 cases, Jammu and Kashmir reported 547 new cases, West Bengal logged 519 cases. COVID-19 recoveries According to the health ministry, 19,431 patients recuperated from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, increasing total recoveries to 4,35,55,041 (4 crore 35 lakh 55 thousand and 41). The national recovery rate is currently at 98.53 per cent. COVID-19 deaths The death toll due to COVID-19 has increased to 5,26,879 (5 lakh 26 thousand 8 hundred and 79) with 53 fatalities, including four deaths reconciled by Kerala, reported in the last 24 hours. The 49 new fatalities include eight from Delhi, seven from Maharashtra, five each from Karnataka and West Bengal, four from Gujarat, three from Punjab, two each from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, Rajastha, Tripura and Uttarakhand and one each from Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha and Sikkim. COVID-19 test According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 3,56,153 (3 lakh 56 thousand 1 hundred and 53) COVID-19 tests were conducted across the country in the last 24 hours. Since the start of the pandemic, 87,92,33,251 (87 crore 92 lakh 33 thousand 2 hundred and 51) samples were tested for COVID-19 across India. COVID-19 vaccination According to MoHFW, 25,75,389 (25 lakh 75 thousand 3 hundred and 89) vaccine doses were administered in the country in the last 24 hours. The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive in India was started on 16 January, 2021 and since then, more than 207.29 crore vaccine doses have been administered across India. 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.