COVID-19: India reports 35,662 new cases in 24 hrs; Kerala records 23,260 cases

As the country continues to fight COVID, as of Saturday, September 18, India has reported 35,662 fresh Coronavirus cases with 33,798 recoveries and 281 deaths in the last 24 hours. While Kerala has recorded 23,260 COVID positive cases and 131 death yesterday. As per the Health Ministry, to date, India has reported a total of 3,34,17,390 COVID cases with 3,26,32,222 recoveries. Currently, India’s recovery rate stands at 97.65 per cent.

According to Health Ministry's data, the daily positivity rate stands at 2.46 per cent that has been less than 3 per cent for the past 19 days. While the weekly positivity rate stands at 2.02 per cent which has been below 3 per cent for the last 85 days.

India's vaccination drive

To date, India has administered a total of 79,38,85,958 COVID vaccine doses across 54,473 vaccination sites. In a major milestone achievement, India administered over 2 crore vaccine doses against Coronavirus on September 17. 

While on September 16, the Ministry informed that India has exceeded the average daily COVID-19 vaccination rate of the world's 18 major countries. The world's 18 major countries have administered 81,70,000 (8.17 million) doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. India has administered 85,40,000 (8.54 million) doses. Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Russia are among the nations on this list.

Kerala passed COVID Peak: AIIMS professor

On September 15, AIIMS Professor Dr Sanjay Rai informed that the virus’ peak has passed in Kerala. The professor stated that a decline in the number of cases is expected in the next two weeks. Rai said that a drop in cases is expected by October. Claiming that Kerala has passed its COVID-19 peak the AIIMS Professor Rai told ANI, "The cases tally will begin to drop just like in the North-East. Earlier Sero survey in Kerala suggest that most population was susceptible but the latest Sero survey shows that 46 per cent had antibodies due to vaccine or by infection. The measures are taken by the state only slows down the spread."

Responding to the increased Coronavirus infection spread in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on September 11 that the state has aimed to inoculate all its citizens above the age of 18 with the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by 30 September. He informed that 78 per cent of Kerala's adult population have taken the first COVID-19 vaccine jab. 

(Image: PTI)