3 lakh fresh Covid cases, 703 deaths in 24 hours; Omicron count rises to 9,692

India reported 3,47,254 new coronavirus infections and 703 deaths in the last 24 hours. The total tally of Covid-19 cases and deaths related to the disease across the country have gone up to 3,85,66,027 and 4,88,396 respectively.

The Omicron count, responsible for fueling the third Covid wave in the country, has gone up to 9,692 — a 4.36 per cent increase since Thursday.

The active Covid-19 cases in the country have shot up to 20,18,825, the highest in 235 days. The active cases comprise 5.23 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid19 recovery rate has decreased to 93.50 per cent.

There has been an increase of 94,774 cases in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 17.94 per cent while the weekly positivity rate stands at 16.56 per cent.

In Delhi, 10,756 fresh Covid-19 cases and 38 fatalities were reported in 24 hours. The positivity rate in the city declined to 18.04 per cent. The national capital on Thursday reported 12,306 Covid-19 cases and 43 fatalities, while the positivity rate was 21.48 per cent.

Of the 15,557 beds for Covid patients in Delhi hospitals, 2,656 (17.07 per cent) of them are occupied. As many as 156 patients are on ventilator support in various city hospitals. Mumbai logged 5,008 new Covid-19 cases, 700 less than the previous day, and 12 deaths in the last 24 hours. This is the third day in a row when daily Covid-19 cases have dropped in the financial capital.

The health ministry data uploaded on Friday morning showed that 3,60,58,806 people in the country have recuperated from the disease and the case fatality rate stood at 1.27 per cent. It said over

160.43 crore vaccine doses for Covid-19 have been administered so far in the country.

Of the 4,88,3961 deaths reported so far in the country, 1,41,971 are from Maharashtra, 51,501 from Kerala, 38,515 from Karnataka, 37,112 from Tamil Nadu, 25,503 from Delhi, 23,000 from Uttar Pradesh and 20,230 from West Bengal. The ministry said that more than 70 per cent of the deaths were due to comorbidities.

Maharashtra on Friday recorded 48,270 new coronavirus cases, including 144 fresh Omicron infections, besides 52 pandemic-related deaths. Daily infections increased by 2,073 compared to the day before.