India reports 6,317 new cases of COVID-19 infection, 318 deaths

New Delhi, December 22, 2021

India today reported 6,317 new cases of COVID-19 infection and 318 more deaths in the last 24 hours.

The 318 deaths posted in the last 24 hours included 200 previously unreported 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 number also included 29 additional deaths in Goa between May and December this year, which have been reported late, official sources said.

The country had yesterday recorded 5,326 fresh cases of COVID-19 infection, the lowest in 581 days, and 453 deaths, including 405 previously unreported fatalities in Kerala.

Not counting the 229 previously unreported deaths in Kerala and Goa, India today posted 89 deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic in the last 24 hours.

With the latest data released by the Ministry of Health of Family Welfare (MoHFW) this morning, the death toll in the country so far has climbed to 478,325 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, rose to 34,758,481 today.

Of the 89 COVID-19 deaths registered in India in the last 24 hours, Kerala accounted for 33, Maharashtra 14 and West Bengal 12.

All other states reported less than ten deaths each, with as many as 16 States and Union Territories posting zero deaths during this period. National capital Delhi registered one death in the last 24 hours.

The number of those who have recovered from COVID-19 in the country rose to 34,201,966 today, up 6,906 from yesterday. The recovery rate stood at 98.40%, the highest since March 2020.

The number of active cases of COVID-19 in the country went down by 907 to 78,190 today,the lowest in 575 days.

The Ministry said that the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 138.95 crore, including 57.05 lakh doses administered during the last 24 hours.

The Weekly Positivity Rate stood at 0.58% today, below 2% for the 89th day and below 1% for the 37th consecutive day, while the Daily Positivity Rate was 0.51% today, below 2% for 79 consecutive days and below 1% for the 23rd consecutive day.

NNN