Fresh Covid-19 cases are showing a worrying upward trend over the last two weeks. Single-day rise of 15,510 new Covid cases reported in the last 24 hours pushed India`s tally to 1,11,12,241 on Monday, while 106 fatalities mounted the death toll to 1,57,157, the Union Health Ministry said. 
 
The positivity rate has been rising gradually, pushing it to 1.52 per cent. As per the Ministry`s data, there are 1,68,627 active cases at present after 11,288 patients were discharged in a day. 
 
The experts have expressed a number of possibilities which could be owed to the stride ranging from lax attitude of people towards following Covid protocols to the likeability of "mutations and new strains" causing the surge, as has been studied by the laboratories involved in Covid detection across the country. 
 
In mid-February, officials had said that the average daily new infections oscillated between 9,000 to 12,000 while the deaths were between 78 to 120. 
 
On February 9, India had reported 9,110 new cases, the lowest this year so far. Last year, the lowest 9,633 cases were recorded on June 3. 
 
Till now, 1,07,86,457 persons have been discharged so far. The recovery rate has reduced to 97.07 per cent. 
 
Last week, around 90 per cent of the weekly average cases came from six states -- Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Karnataka and Gujarat. Central teams have been rushed to these states as well. 
 
The Ministry also informed that 6,27,668 samples were tested on Sunday. The cumulative tests done by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) so far stands at 21,68,58,774. 
 
So far, 1,43,01,266 doses of corona vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on January 16 after approval for `Covishield` and `Covaxin`. 
 
The third phase of vaccination against the Covid pandemic began on Monday covering 27 crore people above 60 and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities at 10,000 government and over 20,000 private vaccination centres. While people will be vaccinated free of cost at government hospitals, those taking the shots at private hospitals will have to pay.

Fresh Covid-19 cases are showing a worrying upward trend over the last two weeks. Single-day rise of 15,510 new Covid cases reported in the last 24 hours pushed India`s tally to 1,11,12,241 on Monday, while 106 fatalities mounted the death toll to 1,57,157, the Union Health Ministry said.

Fresh Covid-19 cases are showing a worrying upward trend over the last two weeks. Single-day rise of 15,510 new Covid cases reported in the last 24 hours pushed India`s tally to 1,11,12,241 on Monday, while 106 fatalities mounted the death toll to 1,57,157, the Union Health Ministry said. The positivity rate has been rising gradually, pushing it to 1.52 per cent. As per the Ministry`s data, there are 1,68,627 active cases at present after 11,288 patients were discharged in a day. The experts have expressed a number of possibilities which could be owed to the stride ranging from lax attitude of people towards following Covid protocols to the likeability of "mutations and new strains" causing the surge, as has been studied by the laboratories involved in Covid detection across the country. In mid-February, officials had said that the average daily new infections oscillated between 9,000 to 12,000 while the deaths were between 78 to 120. On February 9, India had reported 9,110 new cases, the lowest this year so far. Last year, the lowest 9,633 cases were recorded on June 3. Till now, 1,07,86,457 persons have been discharged so far. The recovery rate has reduced to 97.07 per cent. Last week, around 90 per cent of the weekly average cases came from six states -- Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Karnataka and Gujarat. Central teams have been rushed to these states as well. The Ministry also informed that 6,27,668 samples were tested on Sunday. The cumulative tests done by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) so far stands at 21,68,58,774. So far, 1,43,01,266 doses of corona vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on January 16 after approval for `Covishield` and `Covaxin`. The third phase of vaccination against the Covid pandemic began on Monday covering 27 crore people above 60 and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities at 10,000 government and over 20,000 private vaccination centres. While people will be vaccinated free of cost at government hospitals, those taking the shots at private hospitals will have to pay.

India records over 15,000 new coronavirus cases

In March 2020, a New York-based foreign affairs analyst predicted a disaster in India as the COVID-19 pandemic left no territories untouched from its wrath. "Foreign Policy" questioned the effectiveness of India's lockdown. Two months later, this is what its headline said - India has bungled its coronavirus crisis.

Here is what The Boston Review said about India in July 2020 - "The government’s inadequate and impetuous management of the pandemic reflects an effort to win international approval by following the paradigm of advanced economies, without heeding the ethical urgency of providing a robust program of relief, both medical and economic".

Based solely on facts, it's safe to say that India is now emerging as a success story in fighting COVID-19, far from "bungling" the pandemic response. Developed countries are still struggling to cope with the virus. Now, India is recording a steady decline in cases.

WATCH|

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India has the highest recovery rate among all the worst-affected countries at 97.3 per cent. In the United States, this number is just 64.5 per cent, and in the United Kingdom, it's 53.5 per cent. In addition, India's case fatality rate is below 1.5 per cent.

Now, the mutations fo the virus pose the next big threat to global health. So far, major variants have been recorded in the United Kingdom, Brazil, and South Africa. 
The new strains are not necessarily always deadlier. But the UK strain has proved to be scary and is being called a "variant of concern".

This strain spreads more rapidly, and by doing so risks more lives. Science says virus mutations are only normal. India has no silver bullet for virus mutations, or for shielding itself against foreign variants. But it has vaccines.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/has-india-successfully-tamed-coronavirus-363881" hreflang="en">Has India successfully tamed coronavirus?</a>

Currently, the country has two Made-in-India vaccines - Oxford-Astrazeneca's Covishield, and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. The latter has shown to be effective against the UK strain, and AstraZeneca says it is working to adapt its vaccine to the new strains. So if mutations are the new big threat, vaccines have the solution. India has an edge here too. Currently, India is running the world's largest vaccination programme.

Over 82 lakh people have been vaccinated as of February 15, 2021, according to India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. India was the first country to vaccinate over 70 lakh people in 26 days. Despite this, some critics say that India's vaccine rollout is too slow. India is not just immunising its own, but also millions outside its borders.

Made-in-India vaccines have reached at least 20 countries in the form of both grants and commercial supplies. On February 14, Mexico received its shipment of Indian vaccines. Even Canada is expected to get coronavirus vaccines from India.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/how-countries-are-still-struggling-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic-363882" hreflang="en">How countries are still struggling due to coronavirus pandemic</a>

Deloitte predicts that India will be second only to the United States in terms of vaccine production this year. India is estimated to produce 3.5 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines in 2021, with the US having an edge by 0.5 billion.

Unlike developed countries, India will not try to ban vaccine exports. Even before the coronavirus struck - India would produce around 60 per cent of the world's vaccines. Almost a year into the pandemic- the world is leaning on India for vaccine supplies. At the beginning of the pandemic, South Korea emerged as a success story with its gold standard testing programme. Germany then challenged the virus wave in Europe with its response framework.

And now, when the world's richest nations are still struggling to cope with the virus, India is recording a decline in the virus cases. Currently, India is leading with an exemplary recovery rate while running the world's largest vaccination programme. India is providing free vaccines not just at home but also outside.

So, is India the new success story of the pandemic?

In March 2020, a New York-based foreign affairs analyst predicted a disaster in India as the COVID-19 pandemic left no territories untouched from its wrath. "Foreign Policy" questioned the effectiveness of India's lockdown.

In March 2020, a New York-based foreign affairs analyst predicted a disaster in India as the COVID-19 pandemic left no territories untouched from its wrath. "Foreign Policy" questioned the effectiveness of India's lockdown. Two months later, this is what its headline said - India has bungled its coronavirus crisis. Here is what The Boston Review said about India in July 2020 - "The government’s inadequate and impetuous management of the pandemic reflects an effort to win international approval by following the paradigm of advanced economies, without heeding the ethical urgency of providing a robust program of relief, both medical and economic". Based solely on facts, it's safe to say that India is now emerging as a success story in fighting COVID-19, far from "bungling" the pandemic response. Developed countries are still struggling to cope with the virus. Now, India is recording a steady decline in cases. WATCH| India has the highest recovery rate among all the worst-affected countries at 97.3 per cent. In the United States, this number is just 64.5 per cent, and in the United Kingdom, it's 53.5 per cent. In addition, India's case fatality rate is below 1.5 per cent. Now, the mutations fo the virus pose the next big threat to global health. So far, major variants have been recorded in the United Kingdom, Brazil, and South Africa. The new strains are not necessarily always deadlier. But the UK strain has proved to be scary and is being called a "variant of concern". This strain spreads more rapidly, and by doing so risks more lives. Science says virus mutations are only normal. India has no silver bullet for virus mutations, or for shielding itself against foreign variants. But it has vaccines. Also read: Has India successfully tamed coronavirus? Currently, the country has two Made-in-India vaccines - Oxford-Astrazeneca's Covishield, and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. The latter has shown to be effective against the UK strain, and AstraZeneca says it is working to adapt its vaccine to the new strains. So if mutations are the new big threat, vaccines have the solution. India has an edge here too. Currently, India is running the world's largest vaccination programme. Over 82 lakh people have been vaccinated as of February 15, 2021, according to India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. India was the first country to vaccinate over 70 lakh people in 26 days. Despite this, some critics say that India's vaccine rollout is too slow. India is not just immunising its own, but also millions outside its borders. Made-in-India vaccines have reached at least 20 countries in the form of both grants and commercial supplies. On February 14, Mexico received its shipment of Indian vaccines. Even Canada is expected to get coronavirus vaccines from India. Also read: How countries are still struggling due to coronavirus pandemic Deloitte predicts that India will be second only to the United States in terms of vaccine production this year. India is estimated to produce 3.5 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines in 2021, with the US having an edge by 0.5 billion. Unlike developed countries, India will not try to ban vaccine exports. Even before the coronavirus struck - India would produce around 60 per cent of the world's vaccines. Almost a year into the pandemic- the world is leaning on India for vaccine supplies. At the beginning of the pandemic, South Korea emerged as a success story with its gold standard testing programme. Germany then challenged the virus wave in Europe with its response framework. And now, when the world's richest nations are still struggling to cope with the virus, India is recording a decline in the virus cases. Currently, India is leading with an exemplary recovery rate while running the world's largest vaccination programme. India is providing free vaccines not just at home but also outside. So, is India the new success story of the pandemic?

Is India the new success story of coronavirus pandemic?

The daily coronavirus recovered cases in India have been continuing to outnumber daily new cases since the last 20 days, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said here on Wednesday.

Total cumulative recoveries stand at 1,03,59,305 today with 12,689 patients recovered and discharged in the last 24 hours and the national recovery rate has further grown to 96.91 per cent.India`s total active caseload stands at 1,76,498 today and present active caseload now composes just 1.65 per cent of India`s total positive cases."India has one of the lowest daily new cases per million population (69) in the last 7 days," it said.

The ministry said these sustained encouraging results have been made possible with the Centre-led proactive and calibrated strategy of Test Track Treat Technology."Early identification through high and aggressive testing, prompt surveillance and tracking, supervised home isolation combined with high-quality medical care through Standard of Care protocol issued by the Centre have aided the sustained high number of recoveries," the MoHFW said.

The ministry further said there has been continued focus of the Union and State/UT governments on improved and effective clinical treatment in hospitals, supervised home isolation, use of non-invasive oxygen support, use of steroids, anticoagulants, and improved services of the ambulances for ferrying patients for prompt and timely treatment.

The Union Government has supported the State/UT governments with a sufficient quantity of ventilators, PPE kits and drugs. Tireless efforts of ASHA workers have ensured effective surveillance and tracking progress of the patients in supervised home isolation.

"The `eSanjeevani` digital platform has enabled telemedicine services, which have been successful in containing the spread of COVID while simultaneously enabling provisions for non-COVID essential healthcare. The Centre has also focussed on building the clinical management capacities of the doctors manning the ICUs," it added.

The `National e-ICU on COVID-19 Management` exercise conducted by domain experts from AIIMS, New Delhi has substantially helped in this.

According to the Health Ministry, as on January 27, 2021, till 8 am, more than 20 lakh (20,29,480) beneficiaries have received the vaccination under the countrywide COVID-19 vaccination exercise.In the last 24 hours, 5,671 people were vaccinated across 194 sessions.

A total of 36,572 sessions have been conducted so far.Around 84.52 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in nine states/UTs.Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 5,290 newly recovered cases. 2,106 people recovered in Maharashtra in the past 24 hours followed by 738 in Karnataka.Around 84.73 per cent of the new cases are from seven states and UTs.

Kerala continues to report the highest daily new cases at 6,293. It is followed by Maharashtra with 2,405, while Karnataka reported 529 new cases.Seven states/UTs account for 83.94 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (47). Kerala follows with 19 daily deaths and Chhattisgarh with 14.India has reported only one death per million population in the last seven days, it added.

The daily coronavirus recovered cases in India have been continuing to outnumber daily new cases since the last 20 days, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said here on Wednesday.

The daily coronavirus recovered cases in India have been continuing to outnumber daily new cases since the last 20 days, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said here on Wednesday. Total cumulative recoveries stand at 1,03,59,305 today with 12,689 patients recovered and discharged in the last 24 hours and the national recovery rate has further grown to 96.91 per cent.India`s total active caseload stands at 1,76,498 today and present active caseload now composes just 1.65 per cent of India`s total positive cases."India has one of the lowest daily new cases per million population (69) in the last 7 days," it said. The ministry said these sustained encouraging results have been made possible with the Centre-led proactive and calibrated strategy of Test Track Treat Technology."Early identification through high and aggressive testing, prompt surveillance and tracking, supervised home isolation combined with high-quality medical care through Standard of Care protocol issued by the Centre have aided the sustained high number of recoveries," the MoHFW said. The ministry further said there has been continued focus of the Union and State/UT governments on improved and effective clinical treatment in hospitals, supervised home isolation, use of non-invasive oxygen support, use of steroids, anticoagulants, and improved services of the ambulances for ferrying patients for prompt and timely treatment. The Union Government has supported the State/UT governments with a sufficient quantity of ventilators, PPE kits and drugs. Tireless efforts of ASHA workers have ensured effective surveillance and tracking progress of the patients in supervised home isolation. "The `eSanjeevani` digital platform has enabled telemedicine services, which have been successful in containing the spread of COVID while simultaneously enabling provisions for non-COVID essential healthcare. The Centre has also focussed on building the clinical management capacities of the doctors manning the ICUs," it added. The `National e-ICU on COVID-19 Management` exercise conducted by domain experts from AIIMS, New Delhi has substantially helped in this. According to the Health Ministry, as on January 27, 2021, till 8 am, more than 20 lakh (20,29,480) beneficiaries have received the vaccination under the countrywide COVID-19 vaccination exercise.In the last 24 hours, 5,671 people were vaccinated across 194 sessions. A total of 36,572 sessions have been conducted so far.Around 84.52 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in nine states/UTs.Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 5,290 newly recovered cases. 2,106 people recovered in Maharashtra in the past 24 hours followed by 738 in Karnataka.Around 84.73 per cent of the new cases are from seven states and UTs. Kerala continues to report the highest daily new cases at 6,293. It is followed by Maharashtra with 2,405, while Karnataka reported 529 new cases.Seven states/UTs account for 83.94 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (47). Kerala follows with 19 daily deaths and Chhattisgarh with 14.India has reported only one death per million population in the last seven days, it added.

India's daily COVID-19 recoveries outnumber new cases in last 20 days

India’s total number of deadly coronavirus cases have mounted to 98,84,100 with &nbsp;27,071 infections being reported in the last 24 hours.

The daily new COVID-19 cases fell below 30,000 for the third time this month, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 93.88 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

The death toll rose to 1,43,355 with 336 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 93,88,159 pushing the national recovery rate to 94.98 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 4 lakh for the eighth consecutive day.

There are 3,52,586 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 3.57 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23 and 40 lakh on September 5.

It went past 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, and surpassed 90 lakh on November 20.

(With inputs from agencies)

India’s total number of deadly coronavirus cases have mounted to 98,84,100 with 27,071 infections being reported in the last 24 hours. The daily new COVID-19 cases fell below 30,000 for the third time this month, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 93.

India’s total number of deadly coronavirus cases have mounted to 98,84,100 with 27,071 infections being reported in the last 24 hours. The daily new COVID-19 cases fell below 30,000 for the third time this month, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 93.88 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. The death toll rose to 1,43,355 with 336 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 93,88,159 pushing the national recovery rate to 94.98 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent. The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 4 lakh for the eighth consecutive day. There are 3,52,586 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 3.57 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23 and 40 lakh on September 5. It went past 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, and surpassed 90 lakh on November 20. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid-19 in India: New cases dip below 30,000 for the third time this month

With 30,254 new Covid cases and 391 deaths in the past 24 hours, India`s overall tally stood at 98,57,029 on Sunday, while the death toll touched 1,43,019, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. 
 
A total of 33,136 recovered in the last 24 hours taking the cured tally to 93,57,464. Currently, there are 3,56,546 active cases. The recovery rate stands at 94.93 per cent, and the fatality rate is 1.45 as per cent. 
 
A total of 15,37,11,833 samples have been tested for Covid-19 till now. Of these, 10,14,434 samples were tested on Friday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said. 
 
Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state with 18,76,699 cases till date. 
 
Over 72 per cent of the daily new cases were reported by 10 states and union territory -- Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana. 
 
As many as eight Covid-19 vaccine candidates are under different stages of clinical trials which could be ready for authorisation in near future, including three indigenous vaccines. 
 
It includes Astrazeneca and Oxford university developed and Serum Institute of India manufactured Covishield, Covaxin by Bharat Biotech Limited, ZyCoV-D by Zydus Cadila, Russian vaccine candidate Sputnik-V, NVX-CoV2373 by SII, HGCO19 by Geneva, and two unlabeled vaccines-Recombinant Protein Antigen based vaccine by Biological E Limited-and Inactivated rabies vector platform by Bharat Biotech.

With 30,254 new Covid cases and 391 deaths in the past 24 hours, India`s overall tally stood at 98,57,029 on Sunday, while the death toll touched 1,43,019, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

With 30,254 new Covid cases and 391 deaths in the past 24 hours, India`s overall tally stood at 98,57,029 on Sunday, while the death toll touched 1,43,019, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. A total of 33,136 recovered in the last 24 hours taking the cured tally to 93,57,464. Currently, there are 3,56,546 active cases. The recovery rate stands at 94.93 per cent, and the fatality rate is 1.45 as per cent. A total of 15,37,11,833 samples have been tested for Covid-19 till now. Of these, 10,14,434 samples were tested on Friday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said. Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state with 18,76,699 cases till date. Over 72 per cent of the daily new cases were reported by 10 states and union territory -- Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana. As many as eight Covid-19 vaccine candidates are under different stages of clinical trials which could be ready for authorisation in near future, including three indigenous vaccines. It includes Astrazeneca and Oxford university developed and Serum Institute of India manufactured Covishield, Covaxin by Bharat Biotech Limited, ZyCoV-D by Zydus Cadila, Russian vaccine candidate Sputnik-V, NVX-CoV2373 by SII, HGCO19 by Geneva, and two unlabeled vaccines-Recombinant Protein Antigen based vaccine by Biological E Limited-and Inactivated rabies vector platform by Bharat Biotech.

With 30,254 new cases, India's COVID-19 tally reaches 98.5L

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday said that there are six COVID-19 vaccine candidates in different clinical trial stages being developed by various manufacturers in India.

Besides this, three COVID-19 vaccine candidates are in the pre-clinical stage of which one of the coronavirus vaccine candidates is in the pre-development stage being researched by Aurobindo Pharma, the official said."Six vaccines are in the clinical trial stage. And there are three vaccines in the pre-clinical stage. Some of them may get licensed in the coming weeks but we cannot foretell at this moment of time because licensing is the domain of the national regulator the Drugs Controller General of India," Bhushan said at a press conference organised by the Health Ministry here.

"These vaccines are of two to three doses. Even after vaccination, COVID-19 precautions must be followed as advised by the scientists," he noted.The first vaccine is Covishield, which is being manufactured on the Chimpanzee Adenovirus platform and by the Serum Institute of India (SII) in Pune. The collaborative company is Astrazeneca. "The regulator had allowed the phase 2 and 3 clubbed clinical trials of the vaccine to them and they have applied for emergency use authorisation," he said.

On Covaxin, he said that this vaccine is on an inactivated virus platform. "This is being manufactured by Bharat Biotech International Limited, Hyderabad in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The vaccine is in phase 3 trials. They have also applied for emergency use authorisation."The third vaccine candidate is ZyCoV-D which is based on the DNA platform. It is being manufactured by Cadila Healthcare Ltd, Ahmedabad. Their collaborator is the Department of Biotechnology. It is in phase 3 of the trials.

The Health Secretary further said that the fourth vaccine candidate is the Russian vaccine (Sputnik V) which is based on the human adenovirus platform. It is being manufactured by Dr Reddy`s lab in Hyderabad. Their collaborator is Gamaleya National Centre, Russia. Their phase 3 trial will begin next week.The fifth vaccine candidate is NVX-CoV2373 which is based on the protein sub-unit platform. It is being developed by the Serum Institute of India, Pune. Their collaborator is Novavax and the phase 3 trial of this vaccine is under consideration in India. The sixth vaccine candidate is a recombinant protein antigen-based vaccine. It is being manufactured by Biological E Ltd, Hyderabad. Their collaborator is Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. The pre-clinical animal studies have concluded for this vaccine, he said.The seventh vaccine candidate is HGCO 19 which is an mRNA-based vaccine. It is being manufactured by Genova, Pune. Their collaborator is HDT, USA. The pre-clinical animal studies are over for this vaccine. Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials will start for this vaccine in the near future.

The Health Secretary added that the eighth vaccine candidate is on an inactivated rabies vector platform. "It is being manufactured by the Bharat Biotech International Ltd, Hyderabad. Their collaborator is Thomas Jefferson University, USA. It is in the advanced pre-clinical trial stage.""Vaccination efforts of the country are guided by the principles regarding the same espoused by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15 from the ramparts of red fort," he added.The Health Secretary further said that there are 3.83 lakh active cases in India as of Tuesday."A total of around 97 lakh cases have been reported in the country out of which there are less than 4 lakh active cases. Active cases are those who are in hospitals or in self-isolation at their homes. There are 3.83 lakh active cases in the country. The total number of deaths reported due to COVID-19 stands at 1.40 lakhs. As many as 14.80 crore tests have been conducted in the country," he informed.

"India has 7,000 cases per million which is one of the lowest in the world," he added. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson today announced that the first vaccinations against the coronavirus have begun in the country.

Taking to Twitter, Johnson said, "Today the first vaccinations in the UK against COVID-19 begin. Thank you to our NHS, to all of the scientists who worked so hard to develop this vaccine, to all the volunteers - and to everyone who has been following the rules to protect others. We will beat this together."On December 2, the UK became the first country in the world to authorise the use of Pfizer and BioNTech for emergency purposes, thus, paving way for the delivery of the vaccines.The first recipient of the vaccine was Margaret Keenan from Northern Ireland who is 90-year-old. She was vaccinated at University Hospital in Coventry earlier on Tuesday.

According to the latest data by the Johns Hopkins University, globally 67,650,207 people have tested positive for coronavirus and 1,545,723 deaths have been reported so far.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday said that there are six COVID-19 vaccine candidates in different clinical trial stages being developed by various manufacturers in India.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday said that there are six COVID-19 vaccine candidates in different clinical trial stages being developed by various manufacturers in India. Besides this, three COVID-19 vaccine candidates are in the pre-clinical stage of which one of the coronavirus vaccine candidates is in the pre-development stage being researched by Aurobindo Pharma, the official said."Six vaccines are in the clinical trial stage. And there are three vaccines in the pre-clinical stage. Some of them may get licensed in the coming weeks but we cannot foretell at this moment of time because licensing is the domain of the national regulator the Drugs Controller General of India," Bhushan said at a press conference organised by the Health Ministry here. "These vaccines are of two to three doses. Even after vaccination, COVID-19 precautions must be followed as advised by the scientists," he noted.The first vaccine is Covishield, which is being manufactured on the Chimpanzee Adenovirus platform and by the Serum Institute of India (SII) in Pune. The collaborative company is Astrazeneca. "The regulator had allowed the phase 2 and 3 clubbed clinical trials of the vaccine to them and they have applied for emergency use authorisation," he said. On Covaxin, he said that this vaccine is on an inactivated virus platform. "This is being manufactured by Bharat Biotech International Limited, Hyderabad in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The vaccine is in phase 3 trials. They have also applied for emergency use authorisation."The third vaccine candidate is ZyCoV-D which is based on the DNA platform. It is being manufactured by Cadila Healthcare Ltd, Ahmedabad. Their collaborator is the Department of Biotechnology. It is in phase 3 of the trials. The Health Secretary further said that the fourth vaccine candidate is the Russian vaccine (Sputnik V) which is based on the human adenovirus platform. It is being manufactured by Dr Reddy`s lab in Hyderabad. Their collaborator is Gamaleya National Centre, Russia. Their phase 3 trial will begin next week.The fifth vaccine candidate is NVX-CoV2373 which is based on the protein sub-unit platform. It is being developed by the Serum Institute of India, Pune. Their collaborator is Novavax and the phase 3 trial of this vaccine is under consideration in India. The sixth vaccine candidate is a recombinant protein antigen-based vaccine. It is being manufactured by Biological E Ltd, Hyderabad. Their collaborator is Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. The pre-clinical animal studies have concluded for this vaccine, he said.The seventh vaccine candidate is HGCO 19 which is an mRNA-based vaccine. It is being manufactured by Genova, Pune. Their collaborator is HDT, USA. The pre-clinical animal studies are over for this vaccine. Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials will start for this vaccine in the near future. The Health Secretary added that the eighth vaccine candidate is on an inactivated rabies vector platform. "It is being manufactured by the Bharat Biotech International Ltd, Hyderabad. Their collaborator is Thomas Jefferson University, USA. It is in the advanced pre-clinical trial stage.""Vaccination efforts of the country are guided by the principles regarding the same espoused by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15 from the ramparts of red fort," he added.The Health Secretary further said that there are 3.83 lakh active cases in India as of Tuesday."A total of around 97 lakh cases have been reported in the country out of which there are less than 4 lakh active cases. Active cases are those who are in hospitals or in self-isolation at their homes. There are 3.83 lakh active cases in the country. The total number of deaths reported due to COVID-19 stands at 1.40 lakhs. As many as 14.80 crore tests have been conducted in the country," he informed. "India has 7,000 cases per million which is one of the lowest in the world," he added. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson today announced that the first vaccinations against the coronavirus have begun in the country. Taking to Twitter, Johnson said, "Today the first vaccinations in the UK against COVID-19 begin. Thank you to our NHS, to all of the scientists who worked so hard to develop this vaccine, to all the volunteers - and to everyone who has been following the rules to protect others. We will beat this together."On December 2, the UK became the first country in the world to authorise the use of Pfizer and BioNTech for emergency purposes, thus, paving way for the delivery of the vaccines.The first recipient of the vaccine was Margaret Keenan from Northern Ireland who is 90-year-old. She was vaccinated at University Hospital in Coventry earlier on Tuesday. According to the latest data by the Johns Hopkins University, globally 67,650,207 people have tested positive for coronavirus and 1,545,723 deaths have been reported so far.

Six COVID vaccine candidates in different clinical trial stages in India: Union Health Secretary

At a usual Indian wedding, one is bound to spot a colourful display of ornaments, food, and all that jazz. But a recent wedding in India had to accommodate COVID-19 in a bid to stick to the festivities.

After a bride tested positive for coronavirus in a North Indian village, bridal clothing was replaced by PPE kits and masks.

The bride had tested positive for COVID-19 just a few hours before her wedding, and decided to proceed with the ceremony regardless, but with protection of course.

<h6><img alt="Couple weds in PPE kits at quarantine centre after bride tests positive for COVID-19" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dda84a12-73d0-4fdb-b644-70fb719dd11b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29_62.jpg" /> 
Couple weds in PPE kits at quarantine centre after bride tests positive for COVID-19 | ANI</h6>

The wedding took place on Sunday in a courtyard of a quarantine centre in Baran, Rajasthan. The protective gear donned by both the bride and groom made way for truly 2020 experience, with visual aesthetics of a pandemic in full swing.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/argentina-hits-the-rich-with-millionaires-tax-to-pay-for-coronavirus-measures-348096" hreflang="en">Argentina hits the rich with 'millionaire's tax' to pay for coronavirus measures</a>

The couple could be seen performing the rites under a red canopy encircling the sacred fire. Soon after, the couple exchanged garlands.&nbsp;

The most 2020 part of this all? They were rocking matching blue hazmat suits, visors, and face masks. The priest, too wasn’t spared. He was wearing a white hazmat suit, with a matching hood.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/coronavirus-vaccine-doses-to-arrive-in-delhi-by-december-end-says-official-347799" hreflang="en">Coronavirus vaccine doses to arrive in Delhi by December end, says official</a>

The COVID-19 bride was admitted to the quarantine centre after she, along with a family member tested positive for coronavirus, as reported by ANI.

The quarantine officers spoke to the couple and the family later on “agreed to get married in the quarantine centre” without elaborate rituals. After the wedding, both the newly married bride and groom were put in isolation.

Marriages in India have taken a hit due to the ongoing pandemic, with many states announcing curbs on the number of people allowed at each gathering. Right now, India has the world’s second highest caseload of coronavirus, only behind the United States. Over 9.6 million cases of the virus have been confirmed so far.

At a usual Indian wedding, one is bound to spot a colourful display of ornaments, food, and all that jazz. But a recent wedding in India had to accommodate COVID-19 in a bid to stick to the festivities.

At a usual Indian wedding, one is bound to spot a colourful display of ornaments, food, and all that jazz. But a recent wedding in India had to accommodate COVID-19 in a bid to stick to the festivities. After a bride tested positive for coronavirus in a North Indian village, bridal clothing was replaced by PPE kits and masks. The bride had tested positive for COVID-19 just a few hours before her wedding, and decided to proceed with the ceremony regardless, but with protection of course. Couple weds in PPE kits at quarantine centre after bride tests positive for COVID-19 | ANI The wedding took place on Sunday in a courtyard of a quarantine centre in Baran, Rajasthan. The protective gear donned by both the bride and groom made way for truly 2020 experience, with visual aesthetics of a pandemic in full swing. Also read: Argentina hits the rich with 'millionaire's tax' to pay for coronavirus measures The couple could be seen performing the rites under a red canopy encircling the sacred fire. Soon after, the couple exchanged garlands. The most 2020 part of this all? They were rocking matching blue hazmat suits, visors, and face masks. The priest, too wasn’t spared. He was wearing a white hazmat suit, with a matching hood. Also read: Coronavirus vaccine doses to arrive in Delhi by December end, says official The COVID-19 bride was admitted to the quarantine centre after she, along with a family member tested positive for coronavirus, as reported by ANI. The quarantine officers spoke to the couple and the family later on “agreed to get married in the quarantine centre” without elaborate rituals. After the wedding, both the newly married bride and groom were put in isolation. Marriages in India have taken a hit due to the ongoing pandemic, with many states announcing curbs on the number of people allowed at each gathering. Right now, India has the world’s second highest caseload of coronavirus, only behind the United States. Over 9.6 million cases of the virus have been confirmed so far.

India: Couple weds in PPE kits at quarantine centre after bride tests positive for COVID-19

Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu, who was battling Covid-19, has died, the hospital treating him said on Sunday.

The 72 year-old minister breathed his last late on Saturday night, Kauvery Hospital Executive Director Dr Aravdindan Selvaraj said in a medical bulletin.

"With deep grief, we announce the sad demise of Honourable Minister for Agriculture R Doraikannu," on Saturday at 11.15 pm, he said.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the grieving family during this difficult period," he added.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit condoled the death of Daoraikannu and said he was saddened to know about the demise of the Minister.

Doraikkannu "was known for his simplicity, humbleness, straightforwardness, governance skills and commitment towards the welfare of farming community..."

"He handled Ministry of Agriculture with full dedication and engraved his strong mark. His untimely demise is an irreparable loss to the people of Tamil Nadu and particularly to the AIADMK party," he said in his condolence message.

Purohit conveyed his deep condolences to the bereaved members of the family and said he prayed to the Almighty God to rest his soul in peace.

Doraikkannu was elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Papanasam in Thanjavur district in 2006, 2011 and 2016, with the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa inducting him in the cabinet in 2016.

The 72-year-old Minister's health had on Sunday suffered a significant deterioration in vital functions.

The hospital had said on Monday that the Minister was being treated for severe COVID pneumonia and its complications.

A CT scan had showed 90 per cent lung involvement vis- a-vis the infection and he was put on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) and ventilator.

On October 13, the minister experienced unease when he was on his way to attend the funeral of Davusayammal, Chief Minister K Palaniswami's mother, who had died at the age of 93 at Salem.

Doraikkannu, who was travelling in his car, was rushed to the government medical college hospital in Villupuram and from there was shifted to Kauvery hospital the same day.

Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu, who was battling Covid-19, has died, the hospital treating him said on Sunday. The 72 year-old minister breathed his last late on Saturday night, Kauvery Hospital Executive Director Dr Aravdindan Selvaraj said in a medical bulletin.

Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu, who was battling Covid-19, has died, the hospital treating him said on Sunday. The 72 year-old minister breathed his last late on Saturday night, Kauvery Hospital Executive Director Dr Aravdindan Selvaraj said in a medical bulletin. "With deep grief, we announce the sad demise of Honourable Minister for Agriculture R Doraikannu," on Saturday at 11.15 pm, he said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the grieving family during this difficult period," he added. Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit condoled the death of Daoraikannu and said he was saddened to know about the demise of the Minister. Doraikkannu "was known for his simplicity, humbleness, straightforwardness, governance skills and commitment towards the welfare of farming community..." "He handled Ministry of Agriculture with full dedication and engraved his strong mark. His untimely demise is an irreparable loss to the people of Tamil Nadu and particularly to the AIADMK party," he said in his condolence message. Purohit conveyed his deep condolences to the bereaved members of the family and said he prayed to the Almighty God to rest his soul in peace. Doraikkannu was elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Papanasam in Thanjavur district in 2006, 2011 and 2016, with the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa inducting him in the cabinet in 2016. The 72-year-old Minister's health had on Sunday suffered a significant deterioration in vital functions. The hospital had said on Monday that the Minister was being treated for severe COVID pneumonia and its complications. A CT scan had showed 90 per cent lung involvement vis- a-vis the infection and he was put on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) and ventilator. On October 13, the minister experienced unease when he was on his way to attend the funeral of Davusayammal, Chief Minister K Palaniswami's mother, who had died at the age of 93 at Salem. Doraikkannu, who was travelling in his car, was rushed to the government medical college hospital in Villupuram and from there was shifted to Kauvery hospital the same day.

Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu dies due to COVID-19

India continues to report a trend of steadily declining active cases. For the third day after the active cases dropped below the 6 lakh-mark after nearly three months, the progressive decline has been maintained, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Presently India's total active caseload is 5,70,458.

The active cases have dropped to only 6.97 per cent of the total positive cases of the country demonstrating a steady falling percentage of the total cases, as per the Union Health Ministry. The trajectory of the active caseload across different States/Union Territories (UTs) has been diverse demonstrating their focused efforts and gradual progress in their fight against COVID-19. Karnataka has reported a steep decline in the active cases in the past 24 hours.

With the consistent decline in the active cases, the cases per million in India are among the lowest in the world. India's average cases per million stand at 5,930. As many as 17 States/UTs have cases per million lower than the national average.

There has been a steady decline in the number of deaths in India. 470 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours in the country. India's deaths per million population is one of the lowest in the world and stand at 88. As many as 21 States/UTs have deaths per million lower than the national average.

The declining trend of the percentage of active cases is commensurately supported by the rising percentage of recovered cases. The total recovered cases stand at 74,91,513. The gap between Recovered cases and Active cases has crossed 69 lakh (69,21,055). With an increasing number of recoveries, this gap is continuously widening.

A higher number of recoveries has aided the national Recovery Rate to further improve to 91.54 per cent. 58,684 have recovered and discharged in the last 24 hours whereas the new confirmed cases stand at 46,963. 76 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States/UTs.

Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra have contributed the maximum to the new recovered cases with more than 7,000 single day recoveries. Delhi and West Bengal, both have added more than 4,000 to the new recoveries. 46,963 new confirmed cases were recorded in the last 24 hours.

77 per cent of these are from 10 States and UTs. Kerala is still reporting a very high number of new cases with more than 7,000 cases followed by Maharashtra and Delhi with more than 5,000 cases. 470 case fatalities have been reported in the past 24 hours. Of these, nearly 78 per cent are concentrated in ten States/UTs.

More than 15% of new fatalities reported are from Maharashtra (74 deaths)

India continues to report a trend of steadily declining active cases. For the third day after the active cases dropped below the 6 lakh-mark after nearly three months, the progressive decline has been maintained, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

India continues to report a trend of steadily declining active cases. For the third day after the active cases dropped below the 6 lakh-mark after nearly three months, the progressive decline has been maintained, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Presently India's total active caseload is 5,70,458. The active cases have dropped to only 6.97 per cent of the total positive cases of the country demonstrating a steady falling percentage of the total cases, as per the Union Health Ministry. The trajectory of the active caseload across different States/Union Territories (UTs) has been diverse demonstrating their focused efforts and gradual progress in their fight against COVID-19. Karnataka has reported a steep decline in the active cases in the past 24 hours. With the consistent decline in the active cases, the cases per million in India are among the lowest in the world. India's average cases per million stand at 5,930. As many as 17 States/UTs have cases per million lower than the national average. There has been a steady decline in the number of deaths in India. 470 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours in the country. India's deaths per million population is one of the lowest in the world and stand at 88. As many as 21 States/UTs have deaths per million lower than the national average. The declining trend of the percentage of active cases is commensurately supported by the rising percentage of recovered cases. The total recovered cases stand at 74,91,513. The gap between Recovered cases and Active cases has crossed 69 lakh (69,21,055). With an increasing number of recoveries, this gap is continuously widening. A higher number of recoveries has aided the national Recovery Rate to further improve to 91.54 per cent. 58,684 have recovered and discharged in the last 24 hours whereas the new confirmed cases stand at 46,963. 76 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States/UTs. Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra have contributed the maximum to the new recovered cases with more than 7,000 single day recoveries. Delhi and West Bengal, both have added more than 4,000 to the new recoveries. 46,963 new confirmed cases were recorded in the last 24 hours. 77 per cent of these are from 10 States and UTs. Kerala is still reporting a very high number of new cases with more than 7,000 cases followed by Maharashtra and Delhi with more than 5,000 cases. 470 case fatalities have been reported in the past 24 hours. Of these, nearly 78 per cent are concentrated in ten States/UTs. More than 15% of new fatalities reported are from Maharashtra (74 deaths)

India sustains trend of declining COVID-19 active cases

India on Thursday reported a spike of 69,652 cases, 977 deaths in the last 24 hours as the COVID-19 tally crossed the 28-lakh mark.

According to the Health Ministry's latest update, the COVID-19 tally in the country has risen to 28, 36,926 including 6, 86,395 active cases, 20, 96,665 cured/discharged/migrated &amp; 53,866 deaths.

Five most affected states by total tally of cases are Maharashtra (628,642), Tamil Nadu (349,654), Andhra Pradesh (306,261), Karnataka (249,000), and Uttar Pradesh (162,434). Maharashtra, the worst-hit state in India, recorded its highest one-day count of 13,165 coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, Delhi Disaster Management Authority has given its approval for opening of hotels and weekly markets in the national capital.

As many as 22,556,346 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19. While more than 15,288,855 have recovered, 789,969 have died so far. The US, the worst-hit country, has 5,699,221 cases. It is followed by Brazil, which has 3,460,413.

(With inputs from agencies)

India on Thursday reported a spike of 69,652 cases, 977 deaths in the last 24 hours as the COVID-19 tally crossed the 28-lakh mark. According to the Health Ministry's latest update, the COVID-19 tally in the country has risen to 28, 36,926 including 6, 86,395 active cases, 20, 96,665 cured/discharged/migrated & 53,866 deaths.

India on Thursday reported a spike of 69,652 cases, 977 deaths in the last 24 hours as the COVID-19 tally crossed the 28-lakh mark. According to the Health Ministry's latest update, the COVID-19 tally in the country has risen to 28, 36,926 including 6, 86,395 active cases, 20, 96,665 cured/discharged/migrated & 53,866 deaths. Five most affected states by total tally of cases are Maharashtra (628,642), Tamil Nadu (349,654), Andhra Pradesh (306,261), Karnataka (249,000), and Uttar Pradesh (162,434). Maharashtra, the worst-hit state in India, recorded its highest one-day count of 13,165 coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, Delhi Disaster Management Authority has given its approval for opening of hotels and weekly markets in the national capital. As many as 22,556,346 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19. While more than 15,288,855 have recovered, 789,969 have died so far. The US, the worst-hit country, has 5,699,221 cases. It is followed by Brazil, which has 3,460,413. (With inputs from agencies)

India sees biggest 1-day spike of 69,652 Coronavirus cases, tally crosses 28 lakh-mark

India reported 64,531 fresh cases and 1092 deaths in the last 24-hours taking tally above 27 lakh-mark and toll above 52,000 on Wednesday.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the coronavirus tally in the country now stands at 27,67,273 including 6,76,514 active cases, 20,37,870 discharged/migrated and 52,889 deaths.

Key figures:&nbsp;

Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases: 27,67,273&nbsp; 
Active cases: 6,76,514&nbsp; 
Cured/discharged/migrated: 20,37,870&nbsp; 
Deaths: 52,889&nbsp; 
Fresh cases in 24 hours: 64,531&nbsp; 
One-day recoveries: 60,091&nbsp; 
One-day deaths: 1,092 
 
The number of global virus cases topped 22 million, with the US, Brazil and India accounting for more than half the total.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

India reported 64,531 fresh cases and 1092 deaths in the last 24-hours taking tally above 27 lakh-mark and toll above 52,000 on Wednesday. According to the Union Health Ministry, the coronavirus tally in the country now stands at 27,67,273 including 6,76,514 active cases, 20,37,870 discharged/migrated and 52,889 deaths.

India reported 64,531 fresh cases and 1092 deaths in the last 24-hours taking tally above 27 lakh-mark and toll above 52,000 on Wednesday. According to the Union Health Ministry, the coronavirus tally in the country now stands at 27,67,273 including 6,76,514 active cases, 20,37,870 discharged/migrated and 52,889 deaths. Key figures: Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases: 27,67,273 Active cases: 6,76,514 Cured/discharged/migrated: 20,37,870 Deaths: 52,889 Fresh cases in 24 hours: 64,531 One-day recoveries: 60,091 One-day deaths: 1,092 The number of global virus cases topped 22 million, with the US, Brazil and India accounting for more than half the total. (With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus in India: 64,531 fresh cases and 1092 deaths in the last 24-hours

India's COVID-19 tally increased to 2,589,682 with a single-day spike of 63,490 cases, while the total number of recoveries rose to 18,62,258, pushing the recovery rate to 71.91 per cent on Sunday.

The death toll due to coronavirus infection climbed to 49,980 with 944 people succumbing to the disease in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.&nbsp;

India has been reporting over 60,000 cases daily since August 7, barring August 11 when the country registered 53,601 new instances of the infection.

The case fatality rate has declined to 1.93 per cent. There are 6,77,444 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country presently which comprise 26.16 per cent of the total caseload in the country.

India had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7.

According to the ICMR, a cumulative total of 2,93,09,703 samples have been tested up to August 15 with 7,46,608 samples being tested on Saturday.

Maharashtra remained the worst-hit state with 1,56,719 active cases, of which 4,854 came up in the last one day. The state recorded 6,844 more recoveries, taking the total cured patients to 4,08,286. As many as 19,749 patients have succumbed to Covid-19 in Maharashtra so far, including 322 in the last one day.

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka followed with 88,138 and 81,284 active cases respectively. Andhra Pradesh reported 1,769 new cases, while Karnataka reported 2,075 fresh cases in the last 24 hours.

Globally, India remains the third worst-hit nation, with the US and Brazil in the first and second position with 5,361,165 and 3,317,096 coronavirus cases respectively. The global tally is 21,459,699 cases.

India's COVID-19 tally increased to 2,589,682 with a single-day spike of 63,490 cases, while the total number of recoveries rose to 18,62,258, pushing the recovery rate to 71.

India's COVID-19 tally increased to 2,589,682 with a single-day spike of 63,490 cases, while the total number of recoveries rose to 18,62,258, pushing the recovery rate to 71.91 per cent on Sunday. The death toll due to coronavirus infection climbed to 49,980 with 944 people succumbing to the disease in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed. India has been reporting over 60,000 cases daily since August 7, barring August 11 when the country registered 53,601 new instances of the infection. The case fatality rate has declined to 1.93 per cent. There are 6,77,444 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country presently which comprise 26.16 per cent of the total caseload in the country. India had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7. According to the ICMR, a cumulative total of 2,93,09,703 samples have been tested up to August 15 with 7,46,608 samples being tested on Saturday. Maharashtra remained the worst-hit state with 1,56,719 active cases, of which 4,854 came up in the last one day. The state recorded 6,844 more recoveries, taking the total cured patients to 4,08,286. As many as 19,749 patients have succumbed to Covid-19 in Maharashtra so far, including 322 in the last one day. Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka followed with 88,138 and 81,284 active cases respectively. Andhra Pradesh reported 1,769 new cases, while Karnataka reported 2,075 fresh cases in the last 24 hours. Globally, India remains the third worst-hit nation, with the US and Brazil in the first and second position with 5,361,165 and 3,317,096 coronavirus cases respectively. The global tally is 21,459,699 cases.

With 63,490 new cases, India's coronavirus tally nears 2.6 million mark

Recoveries among COVID-19 patients in India crossed the 11 lakh-mark on Sunday with over 51,000 patients recuperating in a 24-hour span, the highest recorded so far, pushing the recovery rate to?65.44 per cent, the Union health ministry said on Sunday.

There are 5,67,730 active cases of the coronavirus infection, which is the "actual caseload" of COVID-19 for the country presently and account for 32.43 per cent of the total cases, it said.

All active cases are under medical supervision either in hospitals or in home isolation.

With 51,225 patients cured and discharged in a day, India's total recoveries have surged to 11,45,629 and exceeded active cases of COVID-19 by 5,77,899 as on date, while the case fatality rate has further dropped to 2.13 per cent.

"Coordinated implementation of COVID-19 management strategy by the Union and state and UT governments and selfless sacrifice of all frontline healthcare and other workers and COVID-19 warriors across sectors have ensured that the recoveries are continuously on the rise," the ministry said.

"The gap between the recoveries and the active cases has seen a steady rise. On June 10, for the first time, the total number of recovered patients exceeded the active cases with a difference of 1,573, which has increased to 5,77,899 as on today," it said.

The successful and coordination implementation of the effective containment strategy, aggressive testing and standardised clinical management protocols based on a comprehensive standard of care framework, have resulted in a consistent trend of rising recovery rate and progressively reducing case fatality rate (CFR).

"India has one of the lowest case fatality rate at 2.13 pc as compared to the global average," the ministry said.

India's COVID-19 tally climbed to 17.50 lakh with 54,735 cases being reported in a day, while the death toll rose to 37,364 with 853 people succumbing to the disease in a span of 24 hours, data updated at 8 am showed.

Recoveries among COVID-19 patients in India crossed the 11 lakh-mark on Sunday with over 51,000 patients recuperating in a 24-hour span, the highest recorded so far, pushing the recovery rate to?

Recoveries among COVID-19 patients in India crossed the 11 lakh-mark on Sunday with over 51,000 patients recuperating in a 24-hour span, the highest recorded so far, pushing the recovery rate to?65.44 per cent, the Union health ministry said on Sunday. There are 5,67,730 active cases of the coronavirus infection, which is the "actual caseload" of COVID-19 for the country presently and account for 32.43 per cent of the total cases, it said. All active cases are under medical supervision either in hospitals or in home isolation. With 51,225 patients cured and discharged in a day, India's total recoveries have surged to 11,45,629 and exceeded active cases of COVID-19 by 5,77,899 as on date, while the case fatality rate has further dropped to 2.13 per cent. "Coordinated implementation of COVID-19 management strategy by the Union and state and UT governments and selfless sacrifice of all frontline healthcare and other workers and COVID-19 warriors across sectors have ensured that the recoveries are continuously on the rise," the ministry said. "The gap between the recoveries and the active cases has seen a steady rise. On June 10, for the first time, the total number of recovered patients exceeded the active cases with a difference of 1,573, which has increased to 5,77,899 as on today," it said. The successful and coordination implementation of the effective containment strategy, aggressive testing and standardised clinical management protocols based on a comprehensive standard of care framework, have resulted in a consistent trend of rising recovery rate and progressively reducing case fatality rate (CFR). "India has one of the lowest case fatality rate at 2.13 pc as compared to the global average," the ministry said. India's COVID-19 tally climbed to 17.50 lakh with 54,735 cases being reported in a day, while the death toll rose to 37,364 with 853 people succumbing to the disease in a span of 24 hours, data updated at 8 am showed.

COVID-19 recovery rate in India rises to 65.44%, fatality rate drops to 2.13%

Amid rising coronavirus cases, Karnataka on Thursday suspended arrivals of flights, trains, and vehicles from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-maharashtra-police-reports-131-new-cases-karnataka-records-75-new-cases-301584">Also Read:&nbsp;COVID-19: Maharashtra Police reports 131 new cases; Karnataka records 75 new cases</a>

Meanwhile, IndiGo announced that few asymptomatic passengers who had travelled on its flights tested positive for coronavirus.

"The operating crew has been home quarantined for 14 days and we are in the process of notifying other passengers as per the government guidelines, to ensure safety of our passengers and staff," IndiGo said.

Punjab on Thursday reported 19 new coronavirus cases with the total number of cases rising to 2,158.&nbsp;

Mumbai's slum area Dharavi reported 36 new coronavirus cases taking the total number of positive cases to 1,675. The death toll stand at due to the virus in the area now stands at 61.

Tamil Nadu today reported 827 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours with the number of cases rising to 19,372, state health minister C. Vijayabaskar said.

In Assam, 25 new coronavirus cases have been reported in the state taking the total number of cases to 856 with 762 active cases, the state health department said.

Amid rising coronavirus cases, Karnataka on Thursday suspended arrivals of flights, trains, and vehicles from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Amid rising coronavirus cases, Karnataka on Thursday suspended arrivals of flights, trains, and vehicles from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Also Read: COVID-19: Maharashtra Police reports 131 new cases; Karnataka records 75 new cases Meanwhile, IndiGo announced that few asymptomatic passengers who had travelled on its flights tested positive for coronavirus. "The operating crew has been home quarantined for 14 days and we are in the process of notifying other passengers as per the government guidelines, to ensure safety of our passengers and staff," IndiGo said. Punjab on Thursday reported 19 new coronavirus cases with the total number of cases rising to 2,158. Mumbai's slum area Dharavi reported 36 new coronavirus cases taking the total number of positive cases to 1,675. The death toll stand at due to the virus in the area now stands at 61. Tamil Nadu today reported 827 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours with the number of cases rising to 19,372, state health minister C. Vijayabaskar said. In Assam, 25 new coronavirus cases have been reported in the state taking the total number of cases to 856 with 762 active cases, the state health department said.

Karnataka suspends flights, trains from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan

The Indian Railways on Thursday said it has run over 163 Shramik Special trains since May 1 and ferried home over 1.60 lakh migrants stranded in various parts of the country due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

Railways said that it ran 56 Shramik special trains on Wednesday and 14 so far on Thursday, taking the total tally to 163.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/53000-total-covid-19-cases-in-india-now-death-toll-jumps-to-1783-297123" hreflang="en">53,000 total COVID-19 cases in India now; death toll jumps to 1783</a>

"We are planning to run some more trains by the end of the day," a railway spokesperson said.Till Wednesday night railways had run 149 such trains.

Every special train has 24 coaches, each with a capacity of 72 seats. But the national transporter is allowing only 54 people in a coach to maintain social distancing norms by not allotting the middle berth to any passenger.

While the railways has officially not stated how much it has spent so far on these services, the cost for which the government says has been shared on an 85:15 ratio with states, officials indicated that the national transporter has spent around Rs 80 lakh per service.

Since the beginning of the services, Gujarat remained one of the top originating stations, followed by Kerala. Among the receiving states, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh remained the top states.

Earlier, the railways drew flak from opposition parties for making these services chargeable.

In its guidelines, the railways has said the trains will ply only if they have 90 per cent occupancy and the "states should collect the ticket fare".

The Indian Railways on Thursday said it has run over 163 Shramik Special trains since May 1 and ferried home over 1.60 lakh migrants stranded in various parts of the country due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

The Indian Railways on Thursday said it has run over 163 Shramik Special trains since May 1 and ferried home over 1.60 lakh migrants stranded in various parts of the country due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown. Railways said that it ran 56 Shramik special trains on Wednesday and 14 so far on Thursday, taking the total tally to 163. Also read: 53,000 total COVID-19 cases in India now; death toll jumps to 1783 "We are planning to run some more trains by the end of the day," a railway spokesperson said.Till Wednesday night railways had run 149 such trains. Every special train has 24 coaches, each with a capacity of 72 seats. But the national transporter is allowing only 54 people in a coach to maintain social distancing norms by not allotting the middle berth to any passenger. While the railways has officially not stated how much it has spent so far on these services, the cost for which the government says has been shared on an 85:15 ratio with states, officials indicated that the national transporter has spent around Rs 80 lakh per service. Since the beginning of the services, Gujarat remained one of the top originating stations, followed by Kerala. Among the receiving states, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh remained the top states. Earlier, the railways drew flak from opposition parties for making these services chargeable. In its guidelines, the railways has said the trains will ply only if they have 90 per cent occupancy and the "states should collect the ticket fare".

Shramik Trains: Over 163 run so far, more than 1.60 lakh migrants ferried

Nearly 80 per cent of the total coronavirus cases in Jammu and Kashmir have been reported from six districts of the state, said Bhupinder Kumar, the Mission Director of National Health Mission (NHM) in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

He also appealed to the people to follow the guidelines issued by the Centre in the wake of the situation arising out of the COVID-19 crisis.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-slams-us-body-for-accusing-it-of-violating-religious-freedom-295443">India slams US body for accusing it of violating religious freedom</a>

"We have six districts which are hotspots, and when I say hotspots, it implies that out of the total cases that have been reported in the state, 80 per cent have been reported from these districts. And of these districts, one district is in Jammu division, and in Kashmir division- Bandipora, Srinagar, Shopian, Kupwara and Baramulla are the hotspots," Kumar told ANI.

"There has been a surge in cases in Anantnag as well. We have conducted around 15,000 tests; on average we are conducting 1000-1100 tests per day. We are better prepared now," he added.

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He also emphasised that more and more testing can help check the spread of coronavirus since most cases are asymptomatic.

"Our strategy is to be able to test more and more people, and in this disease's case, it has been seen that 80 per cent cases are asymptomatic and if we do not detect asymptomatic people on time then there is a higher chance of them infecting others," added Kumar further.

He also informed that the state currently has more than 18,000 isolation beds and that the health infrastructure of the state is not overwhelmed with the cases.

Meanwhile, the total number of cases in the Union Territory stands at 565 in Jammu and Kashmir including 381 active cases, informed the administration on Tuesday.

Nearly 80 per cent of the total coronavirus cases in Jammu and Kashmir have been reported from six districts of the state, said Bhupinder Kumar, the Mission Director of National Health Mission (NHM) in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

Nearly 80 per cent of the total coronavirus cases in Jammu and Kashmir have been reported from six districts of the state, said Bhupinder Kumar, the Mission Director of National Health Mission (NHM) in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. He also appealed to the people to follow the guidelines issued by the Centre in the wake of the situation arising out of the COVID-19 crisis. Also read: India slams US body for accusing it of violating religious freedom "We have six districts which are hotspots, and when I say hotspots, it implies that out of the total cases that have been reported in the state, 80 per cent have been reported from these districts. And of these districts, one district is in Jammu division, and in Kashmir division- Bandipora, Srinagar, Shopian, Kupwara and Baramulla are the hotspots," Kumar told ANI. "There has been a surge in cases in Anantnag as well. We have conducted around 15,000 tests; on average we are conducting 1000-1100 tests per day. We are better prepared now," he added. Also read: Oxford vaccine effective in monkeys, heading for mass production in India He also emphasised that more and more testing can help check the spread of coronavirus since most cases are asymptomatic. "Our strategy is to be able to test more and more people, and in this disease's case, it has been seen that 80 per cent cases are asymptomatic and if we do not detect asymptomatic people on time then there is a higher chance of them infecting others," added Kumar further. He also informed that the state currently has more than 18,000 isolation beds and that the health infrastructure of the state is not overwhelmed with the cases. Meanwhile, the total number of cases in the Union Territory stands at 565 in Jammu and Kashmir including 381 active cases, informed the administration on Tuesday.

80% of coronavirus cases in Jammu and Kashmir reported from 6 hotspots

Indian Council of Medical Research has instructed&nbsp;states to pause the use of Chinese rapid testing kits over concerns that they are faulty.

At least three Indian states have expressed dissatisfaction with the kits, claiming that they are malfunctioning and only have an accuracy of 5 per cent.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/worst-is-yet-to-come-pandemic-could-peak-in-india-during-may-june-293963" hreflang="en">'Worst is yet to come': Pandemic could peak in India during May-June</a>

Rajasthan has outrightly&nbsp;refused to use them after its health officials found that&nbsp;the tests&nbsp;showed&nbsp;negative&nbsp;results for even those who&nbsp;they already knew were positive.

The kits are supposed to test&nbsp;the presence of antibodies against the coronavirus pandemic&nbsp;from blood samples.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-coronavirus-case-tally-nears-20000-death-toll-reaches-640-293954" hreflang="en">India's coronavirus case tally nears 20,000; death toll reaches 640</a>

Previously, several countries including Spain, Turkey, Czech Republic and the Netherlands&nbsp;have reported problems with kits.

They have returned thousands of&nbsp;testing kits&nbsp;and medical masks to China on the grounds&nbsp;of them being below standard or defective.

However, Beijing has denied any quality issues.&nbsp;In a statement last week, China said it attached "great importance to the export of medical products".

India imported almost one million kits from China to ramp up testing.

Indian Council of Medical Research has instructed states to pause the use of Chinese rapid testing kits over concerns that they are faulty. At least three Indian states have expressed dissatisfaction with the kits, claiming that they are malfunctioning and only have an accuracy of 5 per cent.

Indian Council of Medical Research has instructed states to pause the use of Chinese rapid testing kits over concerns that they are faulty. At least three Indian states have expressed dissatisfaction with the kits, claiming that they are malfunctioning and only have an accuracy of 5 per cent. Also read: 'Worst is yet to come': Pandemic could peak in India during May-June Rajasthan has outrightly refused to use them after its health officials found that the tests showed negative results for even those who they already knew were positive. The kits are supposed to test the presence of antibodies against the coronavirus pandemic from blood samples. Also read: India's coronavirus case tally nears 20,000; death toll reaches 640 Previously, several countries including Spain, Turkey, Czech Republic and the Netherlands have reported problems with kits. They have returned thousands of testing kits and medical masks to China on the grounds of them being below standard or defective. However, Beijing has denied any quality issues. In a statement last week, China said it attached "great importance to the export of medical products". India imported almost one million kits from China to ramp up testing.

COVID-19: Rapid testing paused due to issues with Chinese kits

Inside the world's biggest lockdown: India remains shut and wary!

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