15,158 Fresh Covid Cases, 175 New Deaths In India

Even as India’s Covid-19 vaccination drive began Saturday, the country’s COVID-19 caseload climbed to 1,05,42,841 on same day with 15,158 more people testing positive for the disease while recoveries surged to 1,01,79,715, according to the Union health ministry data.

The country’s death toll increased to 1,52,093 with 175 more fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,01,79,715, pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate to 96.56 per cent. The country’s COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.44 per cent.

The country’s active caseload remained below 3 lakh on Saturday.

There are 2,11,033 active coronavirus infections in the country which constitute 2 per cent of the total caseload, the data showed.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and crossed the one crore-mark on December 19.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 18,57,65,491 samples had been tested up to January 15, with 8,03,090 tested on Friday alone.

The 175 new fatalities include 45 from Maharashtra, 23 from Kerala, 16 from West Bengal, 15 from Uttar Pradesh, 12 from Punjab and 10 from Delhi.

A total of 1,52,093 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 50,336 from Maharashtra, 12,251 from Tamil Nadu, 12,158 from Karnataka, 10,732 from Delhi, 10,026 from West Bengal, 8,558 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,139 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,485 from Punjab.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent 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.