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New Delhi: A total of 415 cases of the omicron variant of the coronavirus have been detected in India so far, out of which 115 have recovered or migrated, according to the Union health ministry’s data, updated on Saturday, December 25.
Maharashtra recorded the highest number of omicron cases with 108, followed by Delhi with 79, Gujarat with 43, Telangana with 38, Kerala with 37, Tamil Nadu with 34 and Karnataka with 31.
India’s overall COVID tally rose to 3,47,79,815 with 7,189 fresh cases in the last 24 hours, while active cases have declined to 77,032, according to the data, updated at 8 am.
The death toll climbed to 4,79,520 with 387 new fatalities, the data showed, of which 342 are from Kerala and 12 from Maharashtra. The case fatality rate was recorded at 1.38%.
Of the 342 deaths, 31 were recorded over the past few days and 311 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the Union government’s new guidelines and the directions of the Supreme Court, Kerala’s health department had said on Friday.
The daily rise in new coronavirus cases has remained below 15,000 for the last 58 days now.
Active cases fell by 484 in the last 24 hours, meaning they now account for 0.22% of total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded as being 98.40%, the highest since March 2020, the ministry said. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease now stands at 3,42,23,263
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.65% and it has remained below 2% for the last 82 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 0.60% and, according to the health ministry, has been below 1% for the last 41 days.
The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has now exceeded 141.01 crore.
India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20 lakh-mark on August 7, 2020 and then proceeded to climb to 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5, 50 lakh on September 16, 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 two crore cases on May 4, 2021 and three crore on June 23.
A total of 4,79,520 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,41,404 from Maharashtra, 46,203 from Kerala, 38,305 from Karnataka, 36,714 from Tamil Nadu, 25,103 from Delhi, 22,915 from Uttar Pradesh and 19,707 from West Bengal.
The Health Ministry stressed that more than 70% of the deaths have 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.
(PTI)