India records 10,197 new COVID-19 infections; active caseload lowest in 527 days

New Delhi: India’s COVID-19 tally rose to 3,44,66,598 on Wednesday with 10,197 fresh cases, while the active cases have declined to 1,28,555, the lowest in 527 days, according to the Union Health Ministry’s data. The death toll climbed to 4,64,153 after 301 more fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The daily rise in new coronavirus infections has been below 20,000 for 40 straight days and less than 50,000 daily new cases have been reported for 143 consecutive days now. The active cases have declined to 1,28,555 comprising 0.37 percent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.28 percent, the highest since March 2020, the Health Ministry said. A decrease of 2,238 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.82 percent. It has been less than two percent for the last 44 days. The weekly positivity rate was also recorded at 0.96 percent. It has been below 2 percent for the last 54 days, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,38,73,890, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.35 percent. The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 113.68 crore. The 301 new fatalities include 210 from Kerala and 34 from Maharashtra.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 percent of the deaths occurred due to co-morbidities. “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.