India on Thursday reported 42,982 fresh cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. A total of 533 persons also succumbed to the corona infection in the same time span, bringing the death toll to 4,26,290.
India had reported 42,625 Covid 19 cases on Wednesday. With 723 new active cases, India's active Covid infection tally has climbed to 4,11,076 on Thursday. The active cases constitute 1.29 per cent of the total caseload of India.
The global coronavirus caseload has topped the 200 million mark, while the deaths have surged to more than 4.25 million and vaccinations soared to over 4.26 billion, according to the data monitored by Johns Hopkins University.
Indian health ministry data shows that 41,726 patients were discharged from hospitals and health centres in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cured to 3,09,74,748 to date as the virus continued to infect less than one lakh people in the last 57 days.
However, India's recovery rate currently stands at 97.37 per cent. The weekly positivity rate remains below 5 per cent and is currently at 2.37 per cent. The daily positivity rate continues to remain below 5 per cent for 56 continuous days and currently stands at 2.58 per cent.
The health ministry data said that a total of 37,55,115 Covid vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours. With this, the total vaccination count has gone up to 48,93,42,295 so far. More than 17.64 cr vaccine doses have been administered in the age group 18-44 in India so far. The ministry data pointed out further that over 47.48 crore total covid tests were conducted.
ICMR warning ahead of festive season
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have expressed concern about the potential of mass gatherings during upcoming festivals across the country turning into super-spreader events, thereby leading to a spike in Covid cases, states were warned on Wednesday.
Union Health and Family Welfare Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, in a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories, stressed that any laxity during the imminent festivities in ensuring strict adherence to the five-fold strategy of Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and ensuring Covid appropriate behaviour, may result in losing the impetus that the country has gained so far in managing the pandemic.
He said that in view of forthcoming festivals -- Muharram (August 19), Onam (August 21), Janmashtami (August 30), Ganesh Chaturthi (September 10), and Durga Puja (October 5-15), large public gatherings are expected. "It is advised that states may actively consider imposition of local restrictions in public observation of these festivals and curb mass gatherings," Bhushan said in his letter.
