India sees 16% rise in daily COVID-19 cases; 19,893 test positive, 53 die in last 24 hours

New Delhi: India recorded 19,893 new COVID-19 cases and 53 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Affairs (MoHFW) informed on Thursday morning. The fresh infections reported today are 16.09 per cent higher than yesterday. On Wednesday, India reported 17,135 daily cases. The country’s total tally of COVID-19 cases has now increased to 4,40,87,037 (4 crore 40 lakh 87 thousand and 37). India’s COVID-19 daily positivity rate increased to 4.94 per cent today, up from 3.69 per cent on Wednesday. The weekly positivity rate was at 4.64 per cent. Active COVID-19 cases in India The country now has 1,36,478 (1 lakh 36 thousand 4 hundred and 78) active cases of COVID-19. A decrease of 579 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The country’s active cases now stand at 0.31 per cent. COVID-19 deaths in India Total fatalities in the country due to COVID-19 has increased to 5,26,530 (5 lakh 26 thousand 5 hundred and 30). Of the 53 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, seven were from Maharashtra, five from Delhi, four each from Assam, Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal, three each from Punjab and Uttarakhand, two from Karnataka and one each from Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. States reporting most number of COVID-19 cases Fresh COVID-19 cases in the national capital crossed the 2,000-mark on Wednesday after six months. The national capital logged 2,073 new cases with a test positivity rate of 11.64 per cent. Delhi’s COVID-19 positivity rate was highest since 24 January when it was 11.79 per cent. Maharashtra recorded 1,932 fresh COVID-19 cases with Mumbai alone reporting 434 cases in the last 24 hours. Tamil Nadu reported 1,288 new COVID-19 cases, including a returnee from New Delhi, the state health department said. Chennai added 283 cases, Coimbatore 138, Chengalpet 115 while the remaining cases were spread across other districts. Gujarat reported 1,059 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. The state health department said Ahmedabad recorded the highest number of 327 new COVID-19 cases, followed by Vadodara 162, Rajkot 114, Surat 74, Mehsana 35 and Amreli 31. India’s COVID-19 recovery According to MoHFW, 20,419 patients recuperated in the country in last 24 hours. Total recoveries in the country has now increased to 4,34,24,029 (4 crore 34 lakh 24 thousand and 29). National recovery rate now stands at 98.50 per cent. COVID-19 tests in India According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 4,03,006 (4 lakh 3 thousand and 6) COVID-19 tests were conducted in the country for COVID-19. The Council further said that 87,67,60,536 (87 crore 67 lakh 60 thousand 5 hundred and 36) samples were tested across the country for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. COVID-19 vaccination The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive was started in the country on 16 January, 2021 and since then more than 205.22 crore vaccine doses have been administered. The health ministry said that 38,20,676 (38 lakh 20 thousand 6 hundred and 76) doses of COVID-19 vaccines 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.