India records a dip in new cases

As India battles a severe second wave of the Coronavirus, the cases seem to be reducing in the country. With 2,09,243 new cases recorded in a single day, the daily rise in

Covid-19 cases remains below the three-lakh mark for the seventh day running, the health ministry said on Sunday.

More than 21.23 lakh fresh tests were conducted, setting a record of the highest count of Coronavirus testing on a single day. The ministry said the cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country exceeded 19.50 crore on Sunday.

“A total of 19,50,04,184 vaccine doses have been administered through

28,00,808 sessions, as per the provisional report till

7 am on Sunday,” it said. These include 97,52,900 HCWs who have taken the first dose and 67,00,614 HCWs who have taken the second dose, 1,49,52,345 FLWs (first dose),

83,26,534 FLWs (second dose); 99,93,908 beneficiaries under 18-44 age group (first dose), and

6,06,90,560 (first dose) and

97,87,289 (second dose) beneficiaries between 45 to 60 years; as well as

5,65,55,558 first dose beneficiaries and 1,82,44,476 second dose beneficiaries who are over 60, it further added.

The health ministry said that over 21.80 crore vaccine doses have been provided to the states and Union territories so far and over 1.90 crore jabs are still available with them. It added that 40,650

Covid-19 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the states/UTs within the next three days.

“The government has so far provided, both through the free-of-cost category and through direct state procurement category, more than 21.80 crore vaccine doses

(21,80,51,890) to states/UTs,” the ministry said in a statement.

Of this, the total consumption, calculated based on average up to May

22, including wastage, is

19,90,31,577 doses (according to data available at 8 am on Sunday). Over 1.90 crore Covid vaccine doses

(1,90,20,313) are still available with the states/UTs to be administered, it said.

With the fresh cases, India’s Covid-19 tally climbed to 2,67,38,220. The death toll due to the disease rose to 3,03,355, with

4056 fresh fatalities. Active cases further reduced to 27,30,218, comprising 10.57 per cent of total infections.