New Delhi: India's COVID-19 tally of cases rose to 1,07,90,183 with 12,899 new infections being reported in a day, while the recoveries surged to 1,04,80,455, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The death count increased to 1,54,703 with 107 daily new fatalities, the data showed.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,04,80,455 pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate of 97.13 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.43 per cent. The total COVID-19 active cases remained below 2 lakh.
There are 1,55,025 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 1.44 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
About one in four of India's 135 crore people may have been infected with the coronavirus, said a source with direct knowledge of a government serological survey, suggesting the country's real caseload was many times higher than reported.
India has confirmed 1.08 crore COVID-19 infections, the most anywhere outside the United States.
But the survey, whose findings are much more conservative than a private one from last week, indicates India's actual cases may have crossed 30 crore. The state-run Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which conducted the survey, said it would only share the findings at a news conference on Thursday.
The source declined to be named ahead of the official announcement. It was not immediately clear how many people participated in the latest survey.
Following another survey done in August and September using blood samples of more than 29,000 people older than 10, ICMR had concluded that one in 15 Indians had COVID-19 antibodies. The figure jumped to one in six in densely-populated urban slums.
Here are the Latest News Highlights:
Feb 04, 2021 22:13 (IST)
"Who Are They Trying To Please?": Hema Malini Reacts To Rihanna, Others
Veteran actor and BJP MP Hema Malini today said she was intrigued by foreign celebrities support to ongoing farmers' protests when India was just a name "they have heard".
"I'm intrigued by foreign celebrities to whom our glorious country, India, is just a name they have heard, boldly making statements about our internal happenings and policies!" Hema Malini tweeted.
Feb 04, 2021 21:30 (IST)
Mehul Choksi, Company's Flat, Mercedes Benz Car Attached In PNB Case
The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth over ₹ 14 crore belonging to Gitanjali Group and its promoter and jeweller Mehul Choksi, one of the main accused in the over ₹ 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case.
The properties attached, under the anti-money laundering law, include a flat measuring 1,460 sq feet at O2 Tower in Goregaon in Mumbai, gold and platinum jewellery, diamond stones, necklaces made of silver and pearls, watches and a Mercedes Benz car, the Enforcement Directorate said in a statement.
A provisional order for attachment has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for the assets worth a total ₹ 14.45 crore that are in the name of Gitanjali Group of companies and its director Mehul Choksi, it said.
Feb 04, 2021 20:43 (IST)
"Humans For Hhumans": Sonakshi Sinha On Farmers Protest
A day after a raft of celebrities led a government-backed pushback against international criticism of authorities in India trying to stifle the two-month-long farmers' protest, actor Sonakshi Sinha joined the handful of public figures who spoke out against the concerted campaign.
"The voices raised are about the violation of human rights, suppressions of free internet and expression, state propaganda, hate speech and abuse of power," Sonakshi Sinha posted as an Instagram story.
"Journalists are being harassed. Internet has been banned. Protesters are being vilified through state and media propaganda. Hate speech (desh ke gaddaro ko, goli maro sardaro ko resurfaced) is flourishing. THAT is the issue that's taken global centre stage," she wrote.
"To re-iterate, news tonight will try to paint a picture that 'outside forces' are trying to meddle in the functioning of our country. Please don't give in to that narrative. It's human, standing up for other humans. THAT'S the narrative," Ms Sinha added.
Feb 04, 2021 20:23 (IST)
After US Remarks On Farmers' Protest, India Cites Capitol Hill Violence
The foreign ministry today said it has "taken note" of the US remarks on the ongoing farmers' protests, but underscored that it is "important to see such comments in their entirety". Pointing out that "India and the US are both vibrant democracies", ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the US "has acknowledged steps taken by India in agricultural reform".
The ministry, however, added: "The incidents of violence and vandalism at the historic Ref Fort on the 26th of January have evoked similar sentiments and reactions in India as did the incidents on the Capitol Hill on the 6th of January and are being addressed as per respective local laws."
On the blockage of internet access in parts of the National Capital Region, which has resonated in the US, the government said it was "understandably taken to prevent further violence".
Feb 04, 2021 18:45 (IST)
Over 21% Of India's Population May Have Had COVID-19, Shows Sero Survey
Over 21 per cent of the population, aged 10 years and above, showed evidence of past exposure to COVID-19 in the ICMR's latest national serosurvey, the government said on Thursday, noting that a large proportion of people are still vulnerable to the infection.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) third national serosurvey was conducted between December 7 last year and January 8.
Presenting the findings of the survey, ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava said 21.4 per cent of the 28,589 people, aged 18 years and above, surveyed during the period showed evidence of past exposure to the coronavirus infection. While 25.3 per cent of children aged 10 to 17 years from the same number of surveyed population have had the disease, he said.
Feb 04, 2021 17:46 (IST)
"Briefly Discussed In Team Meeting": Virat Kohli On Farmers' Protest
Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli on Thursday said that the ongoing farmers' protest against new agriculture laws has come up for discussion in his team meeting where everyone has "expressed their views".
Mr Kohli, speaking online to the media ahead of the first test against England in Chennai, did not share the details of the "brief" conversation on the matter.
"Any issue which is present in the country, we do talk about it and everyone has expressed what they had to say about the issue. We briefly spoke about it in the team meeting and then we carried on discussing the team's plans," Mr Kohli said when asked about the agitation that has been going on for over two months.
Feb 04, 2021 17:07 (IST)
"Still Stand With Farmers": Greta Thunberg After Delhi Police Files Case
Teen climate campaigner Greta Thunberg has been accused of "criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity" in a case filed by the Delhi Police today over her tweets on the farmer protests.
Greta Thunberg's tweets in support of the protests near Delhi against farm laws are among many posts that have drawn international attention over the past two days to the farmers' agitation that began late-November.
The charges that the young activist faces are those of conspiracy and "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language... and acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony."
Feb 04, 2021 16:20 (IST)
Delhi Police Files Case Against Greta Thunberg Over Tweets On Farmers' Protest
Teen climate campaigner Greta Thunberg has been accused of "criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity on grounds of religion" in a case filed by the Delhi Police today over her tweets on the farmer protests.
Greta Thunberg's tweets in support of the protests near Delhi against farm laws are among the posts that have drawn international attention to the farmers' agitation that began late-November.
The 18-year-old's first tweet came soon after one by pop star Rihanna on Tuesday night.
"We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India," she wrote, sharing a CNN story about the protests and the government restricting Internet near protest sites.
