COVID-19: India reports 13,596 new cases, nearly 98 crore vaccines administered

As per the data released by the Union Health Ministry on Monday, India reported 13,596 new COVID-19 cases and 166 new deaths in the last 24 hours. With the addition of the new cases, India's COVID-19 death toll now stands at 4,52,290. Meanwhile, in the last 24 hours, 19,582 persons recovered from the infection, bringing India's overall recovery to 3,34,39,331. Following Monday's addition, India now has 1,89,694 active COVID-19 cases, the fewest in the last 219 days. Active cases represent fewer than 1% of all cases, the lowest level since March 2020. On Sunday, October 17, at least 9,89,493 samples were screened for Coronavirus. Up to October 17, 2021, the country has successfully tested 59,19,24,874.

COVID-19 cases in India

In terms of COVID-19 vaccination, India has successfully administered 97,79,47,783 crores of COVID-19 vaccines as part of the world's largest inoculation campaign. In the last 24 hours, 12,05,162 vaccines were administered. Also, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday commended the Uttarakhand government for reaching a milestone in its immunisation campaign by providing the first dosage to all eligible beneficiaries. During the present festivities, Union Health Minister Mandaviya had earlier urged Indian citizens not to relax their guard against COVID-19. The latter emphasised that, while the respiratory illness looks to be under control, it has not completely disappeared.

Meanwhile, Southern India continues to be the leading contributor of new COVID cases. On Sunday, Kerala recorded 7,555 new instances of COVID-19 and 74 related deaths, bringing the total number of people infected in the state to 48,45,115 and the death toll to 26,865.  According to Veena George, the state health minister, 73,157 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, and there are 211 wards across 158 local self-government bodies with a weekly infection population ratio of more than 10%.

On Sunday, Maharashtra recorded 1,715 new coronavirus positive cases, bringing the state's infection total to 65,91,697, while 29 deaths brought the total to 1,39,789, according to the health department. A total of 2,680 patients recovered during the day, bringing the total number of recoveries to 64,19,678, it said.

(with inputs from ANI)

Image: PTI