Online Desk

India recorded 50,040 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the preceding 24 hours, the Union ministry of health and family welfare informed on Sunday in its daily bulletin -- a slight increase from its spike of 48,698 new cases a day ago. As many as 1,258 new fatalities were also recorded in the same duration, which has now pushed the country's death toll up to 395,751, the grim milestone of 400,000 in the offing.

The number of active Covid-19 cases in India has declined to 586,403 or 1.97% of the total cases. As many as 29,251,029 patients have been cured of Covid-19 till now, with 57,944 of them being discharged in the last 24 hours alone.

According to the health ministry, daily recoveries have now continued to outnumber the daily new cases for the 45th consecutive day, with the nationwide recovery rate currently at 96.75%. The weekly positivity rate remains below 5% -- currently at 2.91%. The daily positivity rate, on the other hand, has also been less than 5% for 20 days in a row.

India has also ramped up its Covid-19 testing, according to the government. "Over 40.42 crore tests have been conducted in total so far," an official statement read. Over 3.21 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses -- a total of 321,760,077 to be precise -- have also been administered till now, the government said, adding that as many as 6,425,893 doses were given in the preceding 24 hours alone.

Speculations about a potential third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic run rife as several cities, including those in Tamil Nadu and Haryana, reported on Saturday either their first case of infection or death from the new 'Delta plus' variant of the virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that people who are fully vaccinated will have to continue wearing masks, follow social distancing and other safety measures to contain the spread of the more deadly and contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, which is spreading rapidly across the globe.

Source: Hindustan Times