Covid-19: India sees 24,354 fresh cases, 234 deaths

New Covid-19 cases figure stood at 24,354 on October 2, taking the total tally to 3,37,91,061. While the death toll rose to 4,48,573 with 234 fresh fatalities, according to the Union health ministry data. The active cases comprise 0.81% of the total infections, the lowest since March last year. An increase of 1,280 cases has been recorded in the active caseload in a span of 24 hours. India’s active caseload is currently at 2,73,889, lowest in 197 days.

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 1.68% and has been below 3% for the last 99 days, the ministry said. The daily positivity rate stands at 1.70%, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recovered from the disease rose to 3,30,68,599, with the recovery rate at 97.86%, data from the health ministry showed.

Deaths

From the total of 4,48,573 deaths reported in the country, 1,39,117 were from Maharashtra, 37,807 from Karnataka, 35,603 from Tamil Nadu, 25,087 from Delhi, 22,892 from Uttar Pradesh, 24,318 from Kerala and 18,806 from West Bengal. The 234 new fatalities include 50 from Maharashtra, 95 from Kerala and 25 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 14,29,258 Covid-19 tests were conducted on Friday, taking the total number of tests done so far in the country to 57,19,94,990.

Also, over 89.74 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive, according to the ministry.

Vaccine at home

The government has permitted differently-abled people and those with restricted mobility, Covid vaccine doses at their homes.

Union Health Ministry officials also said the country is still in the midst of the second wave of Covid-19 even though the number of daily new cases are declining.