India records 194,720 fresh cases of COVID-19 infection, 442 deaths in last 24 hours

New Delhi, January 12, 2022

India today recorded 194,720 new cases of COVID-19 infection and 442 deaths in the last 24 hours as the Central and State governments as well as local administrations continued to take steps to stem the fresh spread of the coronavirus pandemic fuelled mainly by the new and more transmissible Omicron variant of the virus.

The country had yesterday reported 168,603 fresh cases of COVID-19 infection and 277 deaths, including 147 previously undeclared fatalities in Kerala, where the data of the past many months is being reconciled and updated as per the broadened definition of COVID-19 deaths under new guidelines.

The 442 deaths reported today includes 277 previously unreported fatalities in Kerala, which means 165 deaths were logged in the last 24 hours.

The continuing surge in new cases comes even as more States imposed fresh restrictions on the movement of people in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, including night curfews, closure of schools and colleges and limits on the numbers at social and religious gatherings.

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) said a total of 4,868 cases of Omicron had been confirmed in India so far (up from 4,461 yesterday), of whom 1,805 had recovered.

Of the 4,868, Maharashtra accounted for the most at 1,281, followed by Rajasthan 645, Delhi 546, Karnataka 479, Kerala 350, West Bengal 294, Uttar Pradesh 275, Gujarat 236, Tamil Nadu 185, Haryana 162, Telangana 123 and Odisha 102.

With the latest data released by the MoHFW this morning, the death toll in the country from COVID-19 so far has climbed to 484,655 today.

The total number of cases of infection till now, since the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in India in late January 2020, crossed the 36-million mark, at 36,070,510 today.

Not counting the 277 previously unreported fatalities in Kerala, the 165 deaths posted in India in the last 24 hours included 23 in Delhi, 22 in Maharashtra, 20 in Tamil Nadu and 19 each in Kerala and West Bengal.

All other states reported less than ten deaths each, with 11 States and Union Territories posting zero deaths during this period.

The number of those who have recovered from COVID-19 in the country rose to 34,630,536 today, up 60,405 from yesterday. The recovery rate slipped further to 96.01% from 96.36% from yesterday.

The number of active cases of COVID-19 in the country rose for the 15th day today, going up by 133,873 to 955,319 today.

Maharashtra has the highest number of active cases in the country at 225,199, followed by 102,236 in West Bengal, 75,083 in Tamil Nadu, 74,881 in Delhi and 73,289 in Karnataka.

Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 153.80 crore today, including 85..26 lakh doses administered in the last 24 hours.

The Daily Positivity Rate rose to 11.05% and the Weekly Positivity Rate to 9.82%.

NNN