India conducts record single-day tests as daily Covid-19 cases drop

MORE than 20.55 lakh Covid-19 tests were conducted in a span of 24 hours, the highest-ever conducted in a single day in India, while the daily positivity rate stands at 13.44 per cent, the union health ministry said on Thursday (20).

Cumulatively, 20,55,010 tests were conducted on Wednesday (19) in the country.

India's daily Covid-19 recoveries outnumbered the daily new cases for the seventh consecutive day. A total of 3,69,077 patients recuperated in a span of 24 hours as against 2,76,110 infections being reported during the same period, the ministry said.

India's cumulative recoveries have reached 2,23,55,440. The country also recorded less than 3 lakh new cases for four consecutive days now.

The states such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Hayana reported 77.17 per cent of the 2,76,110 new cases registered in a span of 24 hours.

The southern state of Tamil Nadu reported the highest daily new cases at 34,875, followed by Karnataka with 34,281 new cases.

The ministry said India's total active cases have decreased to 31,29,878 with a decline of 96,841 cases being registered in the total active caseload in a day.

Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh cumulatively account for 69.23 per cent of India's total active cases.

The National Mortality Rate currently stands at 1.11 per cent, the ministry said.

A total of 3,874 deaths were reported in a span of 24 hours, with Maharashtra reporting the maximum fatalities (594), followed by Karnataka with 468 daily deaths.

The ministry also said that the cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has reached 18.70 crore.

A total of 18,70,09,792 vaccine doses have been administered through 27,31,435 sessions, according to a provisional report.