India has reported 109 new covid cases in the last 24 hours, with active cases declining to 1,781, the union health ministry data on Thursday showed.
The total number of covid cases has reached 4.47 crore, and covid related deaths stood at 530,748 since the onset of covid pandemic.
Covid cases are declining across the country with daily and weekly positivity recorded at 0.08%.
Karnataka reported 108 active cases while Kerala has 1218 active cases. Maharashtra has 83 active cases, Odisha 88 cases, Rajasthan 10 cases, Tamil Nadu 36 active cases, Uttar Pradesh 16 and West Bengal 43 cases.
Around 4,41,51,219 people have recovered from the infection with the current recovery rate touching 98.81%.
With the rapid decline in the trajectory of covid cases, scientists believe that Omicron and its sub-lineages will not affect India as large number of populations is already exposed to the virus and vaccinated. Scientists say that people in India have developed hybrid immunity (due to vaccination and natural infection). However, they suggest people wear masks in crowded places and complete their vaccination doses if not done yet.
At present, large number of cases are being reported in China and other countries as a result of which the government has tightened covid preparedness measures. The government has directed the INSACOG under the supervision of Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to keep a close watch on covid situation in the country and continue to do constant genome sequencing to track any new variant.
The government is conducting RT-PCR testing for people returning from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea and mandated the filling up of ‘Air Suvidha’ forms for travelers from six countries under which 72-hour prior RT-PCR testing is compulsory.
The country has conducted over 1,41,248 tests in the last 24 hours taking the total trajectory of covid testing to 91.67 crore so far.
Under the covid vaccination drive, more than 220.61 crore vaccine doses have been administered to the people across the country so far. In the last 24 hours, around 1,13,507 vaccine doses were administered.
Besides, surveillance at the hospital level is also going on to monitor lnfluenza-like illness (lLl) & SARI cases.