Coronavirus Highlights: 1,581 New Covid Cases In India, Marginally Higher Than Yesterday

Telangana on Tuesday recorded just 53 new COVID-19 cases, taking the statewide tally to 7,90,917, even as the recovery rate rose to 99.40 per cent.

The death count remained unchanged at 4,111 with no fresh fatalities being reported.

A health department bulletin said 77 people recuperated from the infection and the cumulative number of recoveries till date was 7,86,191.

Hyderabad reported the highest number of cases with 25 new infections.

The bulletin said 19,681 samples were tested on Tuesday.

The number of active cases was 615, it said. The case fatality rate in the state was 0.51 per cent.

Pune Municipal Commissioner and civic body administrator Vikram Kumar on Tuesday asked people who have not yet taken the second dose to get themselves vaccinated as there was a fear the fourth wave amid a rise in cases in China, South Korea and some European nations.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Kumar said medical facilities like oxygen beds etc can be activated immediately if it was required.

"We are keeping a close watch on the situation. There are around 1.5 lakh people who are eligible for the second dose but have not taken it as yet. We want them to get vaccinated as soon as possible," he said

Continuing to report a downward trend in new infections, Tamil Nadu on Tuesday saw its daily COVID-19 cases fall below 50, with 48 people testing positive for the pathogen, pushing the caseload to 34,52,490, the health department said.

No COVID-19 fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours with the total deaths remaining unchanged at 38,025, a medical bulletin said.

As many as 89 people have recovered in the last 24 hours, aggregating to 34,13,930 leaving 535 active infections.

Among districts, Chennai added 18 cases while 15 districts reported new cases in single digit. Seven districts -- Ariyalur, Karur, Mayiladuthurai, Perambalur, Pudukottai, Tiruvarur and Villupuram -- reported zero active cases.

Over 8.7 lakh hospital admissions and 50.6 lakh tests were authorised for COVID-19 under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) as of March 16, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

On how the Ayushman Bharat scheme was utilised during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the financial burden on the poor, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar, in a written reply, said the National Health Authority (NHA) has been providing necessary support to states/UTs for ensuring free COVID-19 testing and treatment to all eligible beneficiaries under AB-PMJAY.

No COVID-19 patient died due to shortage of medical oxygen in Gujarat hospitals as claimed by the opposition Congress, state health minister Rushikesh Patel told the Assembly on Tuesday.

In his address to the House on budgetary allocations for the Health Department, Mr Patel also said Congress was misguiding the people as part of its strategy for the upcoming Assembly polls, expected to be held in December.

India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 181.56 crore (1,81,56,01,944) as per provisional reports till 7 am on Tuesday.

This has been achieved through 2,14,38,677 sessions, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Meanwhile, more than 34 lakh vaccine doses were administered to people aged between 12-14 years.

India's active caseload declines to 23,913 today while the positivity rate stands at 0.06%.

On the other hand, the country reported 1,581 new cases in the last 24 hours with the recovery rate at 98.74 per cent.

Noting that various mathematical models meant for predicting coronavirus waves have repeatedly failed to give reliable results due to a small sample size, the Centre on Tuesday said it is closely following the virus trajectory globally, given the emergence of its new variants.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar further said the network of Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) of laboratories is undertaking whole genome sequencing of samples for a timely detection of the mutant variants of the virus.

On whether researches at the Indian institutes of technology (IITs) have predicted a fourth wave of the pandemic in the country between June and August, she said the IIT Kanpur has clarified that it has not forecast a fourth wave of COVID-19.

The Union territory of Puducherry did not report any fresh coronavirus cases and fatalities for a second straight day, a senior Health department official said today.

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Arunachal Pradesh dipped to six, after three more persons recuperated from the disease, a senior health department official said today.

The COVID-19 tally in the northeastern state remained at 64,484, as no fresh case was registered, while the total number of recoveries increased to 64,182, he said.

The number of coronavirus deaths in the state remained unchanged at 296, as no fresh fatality was reported in the past 24 hours, State Surveillance Officer (SSO) Dr Lobsang Jampa said.

The COVID-19 recovery rate now is 99.53 per cent, the official said.

The Capital Complex Region comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderdewa areas, has three active COVID-19 cases, followed by Upper Siang, Lohit and Anjaw districts with one each, the SSO said.

A total of 12,68,101 samples have been tested for the infection in the state so far, including 134 on Monday, Jampa said, adding that the positivity ratio remained at 0.59 per cent.

State Immunisation Officer (SSO) Dr Dimong Padung said over 16,52,148 people have been inoculated with COVID-19 vaccine so far in the state.

India recorded 1,581 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, marginally higher than yesterday.

181.56 cr vaccine doses have been administered so far under nationwide vaccination drive

India's active caseload currently stands at 23,913

Active cases stand at 0.06% and the recovery rate is currently at 98.74%

2,741 recoveries have been reported in the last 24 hours. The total recoveries have increased to 4,24,70,515.

The daily positivity rate is 0.28%, while the weekly positivity rate stands at 0.39%

78.36 crore tests have been conducted so far; 5,68,471 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.