India reported 17,092 fresh COVID-19 cases and 29 deaths in the last 24 hours, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday.
With this, the active caseload of the country has reached 1,09,568.
In the last 24 hours, 14,684 patients have been cured of the disease, taking the total number of cured people to 4,28,51,590. The recovery rate in the country at present is 98.54 percent.
While the daily positivity rate is 4.14%, the weekly positivity rate is 3.56% and active cases are 0.25%.
29 people succumbed to the infection in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 5,25,168.
Amid the spike in cases, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has directed states and union territories to monitor incoming international travelers.
States and Union Territories have been asked to regularly monitor influenza-like illness (lLl) and SARI cases and carry out continuous genome sequencing. States have also been asked to increase vaccination.
Under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign, 197.84 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far, which includes 9,09,776 doses administered in the last 24 hours.
4,12,570 COVID tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of tests conducted so far to 86.32 crore.
Meanwhile, so far more than 193.53 crore (1,93,53,58,865) vaccine doses have been provided to the States/UTs through the government. of India (free channel) and through direct state procurement category.
More than 11.31 crore (11,31,46,900) remaining and untapped COVID vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered.
Nationwide COVID 19 vaccination started on 16 January 2021. The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination began on 21 June 2021.
Immunization drive has been expedited through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for better planning and streamlining of vaccine supply chain.
The Health Ministry said that as part of the nationwide immunization drive, the Government of India is supporting states and union territories by providing them with free COVID vaccines.
According to the ministry, in the new phase of universalization of the COVID19 vaccination campaign, the central government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75% of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to the states and union territories.