Covid-19: India sees 35,662 fresh cases, 281 deaths

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New Covid-19 cases figure stood at 35,662 on September 18 while the death toll rose to 4,44,529 with 281 fresh fatalities, according to the Union health ministry data. The active cases comprise 1.02% of the total infections, the lowest since March last year. An increase of 1,583 cases has been recorded in the active caseload in a span of 24 hours. India’s active caseload is currently at 3,40,639.

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 2.02% and has been below 3% for the last 85 days, the ministry said. The daily positivity rate stands at 2.46%. It has been less than 3% for the last 19 days, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recovered from the disease rose to 3,26,32,222, with the recovery rate at 97.65%, data from the health ministry showed.

Deaths and fatalities

From the total of 4,44,529 deaths reported in the country, 1,38,389 were from Maharashtra, 37,573 from Karnataka, 35,288 from Tamil Nadu, 25,085 from Delhi, 22,887 from Uttar Pradesh, 23,296 from Kerala and 18, 629 from West Bengal. The 281 new fatalities include 67 from Maharashtra, 131 from Kerala and 17 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 14,48,833 Covid-19 tests were conducted on Friday, taking the total number of tests done so far in the country to 55,07,80,273.

Also, over 79.42 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive, according to the ministry.

Yesterday, India had set a record by administering over two crore Covid-19 vaccine doses, in what was a major push to the inoculation drive on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.

The union health minister on Thursday had called for a major push towards the Covid-19 vaccination drive during PM Modi’s birthday on Friday and said it would be the perfect gift for him.