Covid-19: India sees 19,740 fresh cases, 248 deaths

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New Covid-19 cases figure stood at 19,740 on October 9, taking the total tally to 3,39,305,309. While the death toll rose to 4,50,375 with 248 fresh fatalities, according to the Union health ministry data. The active cases comprise 0.70% of the total infections, the lowest since March last year. The daily increase in new Covid cases has been below 30,000 for 15 straight days. A decrease of 3,578 cases has been recorded in the active caseload in a span of 24 hours. India’s active caseload has declined to 2,36,643, the lowest in 206 days, according to data from health ministry.

India’s Covid-19 tally had crossed the grim milestone of the one-crore mark on December 19, 2020. By May 4, it had crossed two crores and as of June 23, the number of cases had risen to three crores.

The weekly positivity rate stands at 1.62% and has been below 3% for the last 106 days, the ministry said. The daily positivity rate stands at 1.56% and has been below 3% for the last 40 days, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recovered from the disease rose to 3,32,48,291, with the recovery rate at 97.98%, data from the health ministry showed.

Deaths

From the total of 4,50,375 deaths reported in the country, 1,39,470 were from Maharashtra, 37,866 from Karnataka, 35, 754 from Tamil Nadu, 25,088 from Delhi, 22,896 from Uttar Pradesh, 26,072 from Kerala and 18,882 from West Bengal. The 248 new fatalities include 59 from Maharashtra, 120 from Kerala and 20 from Tamil Nadu.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70% of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

“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.

Covid-19 tests and vaccination drive

As many as 12,69,291 Covid-19 tests were conducted on Friday, taking the total number of tests done so far in the country to more than 58 crore.

Also, over 93.99 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive, according to the ministry.

No quarantine for Covishield vaccinated Indians

The UK government added India to its vaccination-eligible countries list for Covishield, putting an end to a diplomatic spat over vaccine certification. Fully vaccinated Indians would no longer be required to quarantine upon arrival in Britain beginning October 11.

Covid passport, vaccine discrimination obstruct trade

India has expressed worry about new trade restrictions imposed by some developed nations, such as vaccine discrimination and Covid passports, which it claims are obstructing people’s movement and services exports.

The government which has been pressing for intellectual property rights to be relaxed to make Covid drugs more accessible, raised these concerns at a World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting last week.