COVID-19: Total tests in India nearing 16.5 crore

New Delhi, Dec 23 (PTI) India's total tests conducted for detection of COVID-19 are nearing 16.5 crore, the Union Health ministry said on Wednesday highlighting that an average of more than 10 lakh tests conducted daily has ensured that the cumulative positivity rate is sustained at low levels. The share of COVID-19 active cases in the total infections has further shrunk to 2.86 per cent with 26 states and UTs having less than 10,000 active cases, the ministry said.

India's tests per million population (TPM) are 1,19,035. Twenty-three states and UTs have better tests per million than the national average, the ministry said. Sixteen states and UTs have weekly positivity rate less than the national average.

Fifteen states and UTs have cumulative positivity rate less than the national average, the ministry said. The ongoing trend of contraction of India's total active cases continues, the ministry said adding the active caseload of the country stands at 2,89,240 as on date.

''The daily recoveries exceeding the daily new cases have ensured a total net reduction of the active caseload,'' the ministry underlined. While 23,950 persons were found positive in a span of 24 hours, India has registered 26,895 new recoveries during the same period. A net decline of 3,278 cases has been recorded in the total active cases in a span of 24 hours, it said. Keeping in line with its commitment to conduct more than one million tests every day, 10,98,164 samples were tested in a day. The testing capacity of the country has grown to 15 lakh tests per day.

India's testing infrastructure has seen a significant boost with 2,276 labs across the country. ''An average of more than 10 lakh tests conducted daily has ensured that the cumulative positivity rate is sustained at low levels and is presently following a downward trajectory,'' the ministry underscored. With the expansion of testing infrastructure, states and UTs that have positivity rate more than the national average are also registering a decline in their positivity rate.

The total recoveries stand at 9,663,382. Of the new recovered cases, 75.87 per cent are observed to be concentrated in 10 states and UTs. Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 5,057 newly recovered cases. A total of 4,122 people recovered in Maharashtra in a span of 24 hours followed by 2,270 in West Bengal.

The ministry said that 77.34 per cent of the new cases are from 10 States and UTs. Kerala continues to report the highest daily new cases at 6,049. It is followed by Maharashtra with 3,106 new cases.

A total of 333 case fatalities have been reported in a span of 24 hours. Ten states and UTs account for 75.38 per cent of new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (75). West Bengal and Kerala follow with 38 and 27 daily deaths, respectively. PTI PLB DV DV