New Delhi: India continues to witness a dip in the COVID-19 cases with 326,123 infections recorded in the last 24 hours, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Saturday. Recoveries from coronavirus, on the other hand, outnumbered India’s daily new Covid cases for the fourth straight day. As per the health ministry data, India’s COVID-19 tally of cases climbed to 2,43,72,907, while the death toll rose to 2,66,207 with 3,890 fresh fatalities.  The active cases have reached 37,04,893, while total recoveries increased to 2,04,32,898 after 3.53 lakh people have recuperated from the disease in a day. According to the ICMR,31,30,17,193 samples have been tested up to May 14 with16,93,093 samples being tested on Friday.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of 2 crore on May 4.

Coronavirus in India: Key Updates 

  • The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
  • Dr Reddy’s Laboratories on Friday launched COVID vaccine Sputnik V in India and the imported vaccine is priced at Rs 995.4 per dose. The first dose of Sputnik V, also the first foreign-made vaccine used in the country, was administered in Hyderabad as part of a limited pilot project.
  • 10 states account for 71.16 per cent of the new recoveries with Maharashtra on top, followed by Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
  • The Centre yesterday announced to supply nearly 192 lakh Covid-19 vaccines ‘free of cost to the states and the Union Territories (UTs) in the next fortnight from May 16 to 31. During this fortnight, 191.99 lakh doses of Covishield and Covaxin will be supplied to the states and the UTs free of cost, the Union Health Ministry said, adding that this will include 162.5 lakh doses of Covishield and 29.49 lakh Covaxin shots.
  • India will have enough doses to inoculate all citizens by December, Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog said. “Over two billion doses will be made in the country in five months (August to December) for India and for the people of India. Vaccine will be available for all as we move forward,” Paul said, adding that the number is likely to be ramped up to three billion by the first quarter of the next year.
  • With the coronavirus pandemic spreading rapidly in rural areas, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday urged villagers to only allow COVID-negative people to enter their villages.