COVID-19: India logs 9,355 cases, 26 deaths in 24 hours

India recorded 9,355 fresh cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the tally to more than 4.49 crore, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's data released on Thursday. The death toll from the deadly virus increased to 5,31,424 with 26 new deaths in the last 24 hours. The active caseload in the country stands at 57,410.

More than 4.43 crore people have recovered from COVID-19, with the recovery rate recorded at 98.69%, per the ministry. Since the vaccination drive began in the country in January 2021, over 220.66 crore doses have been administered to the citizens. Reportedly, the XBB.1.16 sub-variant of Omicron is behind the recent surge in COVID-19 infections in India.