With 16,946 new coronavirus cases reported in the last 24 hours, India on Thursday continued with its streak of low single-day cases, increasing the overall tally to 1,05,12,093, according to Union health ministry data updated on Thursday.
The death toll has increased to 1,51,727 with 198 new fatalities. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 1,01,46,763, pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate to 96.52 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.44 per cent.
The COVID-19 active caseload remained below three lakh. There are 2,13,603 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprise 2.03 per cent of the total caseload, the Union health ministry data stated.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 18,42,32,305 samples have been tested up to January 14 with 7,43,191 samples being tested on Wednesday.
The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to co-morbidities. "Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of the figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
Meanwhile, India's drive against COVID-19 gathered momentum on Wednesday with planes carrying vaccines flying into airports across the country from where the precious cargo was dispatched to small cities and towns in readiness for the inoculation exercise beginning January 16.
From Assam to Goa and from Jammu and Kashmir to Kerala, the vaccines were carefully and swiftly transported to far corners of the country, a day after the first consignment of the Covishield vaccine from the Oxford/AstraZeneca stable rolled out of the Serum Institute of India manufacturing facility in Pune.
Here's state-wise data of active cases and deaths released by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:
