India recorded 26,624 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), 341 related deaths and 29,690 recoveries in the past 24 hours, data from the Union Health Ministry showed on Sunday morning. New infections brought the country’s tally to 10,031,223 and it now has an active case load of 305,344 with total recoveries at 9,580,402 and deaths at 145,477. The country surpassed the grim milestone of 10 million Covid-19 cases on Friday.
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The health ministry reported that 33 states and Union territories have fewer than 20,000 active Covid-19 cases, while Kerala and Maharashtra are the main contributors to the number of cases. Together, these states account for 40 percent of the total active coronavirus cases in India. India has been registering fewer than 30,000 cases for a week.
While India is the second most affected country by the pandemic after the United States, it has also recorded the highest number of recoveries and has a low mortality rate. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has said that the growth of the coronavirus disease in India has slowed to 2% and that its fatality rate is among the lowest in the world at 1.45%, with a recovery rate that reaches a maximum of 95.46%.
More than 16,11,98,195 samples have been tested for Covid-19, of which 11,07,681 tests were performed on Saturday, according to official data.
Harsh Vardhan also said that despite the festival season in October and November, India did not see any further increases due to the comprehensive testing, monitoring and treatment policy implemented on the ground. The Health Minister affirmed the need for a “rapid vaccination campaign” to inoculate the target population of around 300 million. He spoke at the 22nd meeting of the High-Level Group of Ministers (GoM) on Saturday.
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