India reported 15,786 fresh COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Friday. Of these new infections, Kerala reported 8,733 COVID-19 cases. At present, India's caseload of active cases stands at 1,75,745 that is the lowest in 232 days. Active cases account for less than 1 per cent of the total cases in the country, currently at 0.51 per cent. It is the lowest since March 2020.
Meanwhile, India achieved a significant feat on Thursday as it completed administering 100 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine to eligible beneficiaries. The landmark figure was reached at 9:47 AM yesterday, according to the government's Co-WIN portal. India's COVID-19 vaccination drive was launched on January 16, 2021.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described India's COVID-19 vaccination drive as a journey from "anxiety to assurance" that has made the country emerge stronger, and credited its success to people's trust in the vaccines despite "various efforts to create mistrust and panic".'
"When everyone takes ownership, nothing is impossible. Our healthcare workers traversed hills and crossed rivers across difficult geographies to vaccinate people. Our youth, social workers, healthcare workers, social and religious leaders, all deserve credit for the fact that India faces minimal vaccine hesitancy when compared to even developed nations," PM Modi wrote in an opinion piece a day after the cumulative vaccine doses crossed the landmark figure of 100 crores.