Centre has provided over 80.67 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses to states, UTs so far

Over 80.67 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been given to the states and union territories, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday. It added that over 4.29 crore doses are still unutilised and available with the states and UTs. In a statement, the Centre said that it has provided 80,67,26,335 vaccine doses to all the states and union territories so far through the free of cost channel and the direct state procurement category. Moreover, 64 lakh doses to be allocated by the Centre are in the pipeline.

The ministry said, "Around 4,29,03,090 balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and union territories to be administered." In the new phase of the universalisation of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the ministry said that the government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75 percent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to states and UTs.

Vaccination in India and decline in COVID-related deaths

The new phase of universalisation of COVID-19 vaccination began in late June to speed up the rate of vaccination in the country. According to today’s provisional report, India administered 71,38,205 doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the last 24 hours, taking the country's COVID-19 vaccination coverage to over 83 crores (83,39,90,049). The landmark has been achieved through 81,69,260 sessions. 

India has reported a total of 31,923 fresh cases in the last 24 hours along with the recovery of 31,990 patients in the same time period, the health ministry said. Due to this, the cumulative tally of recovered patients since the beginning of the pandemic has reached 3,28,15,731. As of now, India’s recovery rate stands at 97.77 per cent, which is currently at its peak since the pandemic began in March 2020. The country’s testing capacity across the states continues to be high as India tested at least 15,27,443 samples in the last 24 hours. Since the pandemic began, India has conducted over 55.83 crore (55,83,67,013) tests. Kerala and Maharashtra remain the most affected states with 19,675 and 3,608 fresh cases respectively. India is witnessing decline in COVID-19 deaths as 282 people succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours.

(With ANI inputs)