India reported 42,015 new cases and 3,998 deaths in the last 24 hours on Wednesday, according to data updated by the health ministry.
The recovery rate has increased to 97.36 per cent. The daily positivity rate is at 2.27 per cent - less than 3 per cent for 30 straight days in a major sign of relief. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Covid positivity rate below 5 per cent to be within the safe zone.
Active Covid cases have declined to 4.07 lakh in India - the infections are going down each day. Active cases constitute 1.30 per cent of total infections. 36,977 patients recovered in the last 24 hours taking total recoveries so far to over 3.04 crore.
Meanwhile, Australia's two largest states reported sharp increases in new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, a blow to hopes that lockdown orders would be lifted with more than half the country's population under stay-at-home orders.
New South Wales state, home to the country's most populous city Sydney, logged 110 new cases, up from 78 the day before, nearly four weeks into a lockdown of the city and surrounding areas to contain an outbreak of the virulent Delta variant.
Victoria state clocked 22 new cases, from nine the day before, its biggest increase since the outbreak began this month, even as it nears its second week of statewide lockdown.