New coronavirus cases: The recoveries continue to outnumber the daily new cases for the 26th straight day and the recovery rate stood at 94.29 per cent. Testing capacity has also been ramped up substantially.
India today reported 86,498 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, its lowest in 66 days, showed government data. The total cases now stand at 2,89,96473. The daily deaths were at 2,123.
Here are the top 10 updates on coronavirus in India:
- Active cases have decreased by 97,907 in last 24 hours, taking the cumulative total to 13.03 lakh.
- Maharashtra continues to be the worst Covid-hit state. It is followed by four southern states: Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh.
- 23.61 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive hit hard by shortages. The Supreme Court last week criticised centre’s vaccine policy as “irrational, arbitrary”.
- Recoveries continue to outnumber the daily new cases for the 26th consecutive day. The recovery rate stood at 94.29 per cent.
- The positivity rate – number of positive cases identified per 100 – stood at 4.62 per cent. India has been reporting positivity rate below 10 per cent for 15 consecutive days now.
- India reported 2,123 deaths over the period of 24 hours, taking the total deaths in the county to 3.51 lakh.
- In a national address on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his government would take back control of the vaccination drive from the states and provide vaccines free of charge to all above 18 from June 21.
- Several states have begun the process of cautiously resuming activities stopped when the coronavirus cases began its deadly surge in the second wave during April-May. The ‘unlocking’ comes as Covid cases have seen a steady fall in recent weeks.
- Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state, reported 694 new cases and 97 death in a day. The state government has allowed shops and markets outside containment zones in Varanasi, Muzaffarnagar, Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad to open for five days a week since yesterday after active COVID-19 cases in these four districts fell below 600.
- Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, added 10,219 cases over the 24-hour period, taking the total cases to 58.42 lakh. It reported 340 deaths.