India sees spike in COVID-19 cases to 16,764 in last 24 hours, number of deaths falls to 220

New Delhi, December 31, 2021

India today saw another spike in the number of fresh cases of COVID-19 infection to 16,764 in the last 24 hours but there was a significant fall in the number of deaths added in this period to 220.

The number of deaths includes 149 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 country had yesterday reported 13,154 new cases of COVID-19 infection and 268 deaths, including 199 previously unreported fatalities in Kerala.

The jump in the numbers of new cases of infection in several parts of the country comes even as more States put in place various measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, especially of the new and more transmissible Omicron variant.

Not counting the 149 previously undeclared deaths in Kerala, the number of COVID-19 deaths in the country in the last 24 hours stood at 71.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) said a total of 1,270 cases of Omicron, the new variant of COVID-19, have been reported in India so far (up from 961 yesterday), of whom 374 have recovered.

Of the 1,270, Maharashtra accounted for the most at 450, followed by Delhi 320, Kerala 109, Gujarat 97, Rajasthan 69 and Telangana 62.

With the latest data released by the MoHFW this morning, the death toll in the country from COVID-19 so far has climbed to 481,080 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 34,838,804 today.

Of the 71 COVID-19 deaths posted in India in the last 24 hours, Maharashtra accounted for 22, Kerala 15 and West Bengal 12.

All other states reported less than ten deaths each, with as many as 21 States and Union Territories, including national capital Delhi, posting zero deaths during this period.

The number of those who have recovered from COVID-19 in the country rose to 34,266,363 today, up 7,585 from yesterday. The recovery rate dropped to 98.36% from 98.38% yesterday.

The number of active cases of COVID-19 in the country rose for the third day today, going up by 8,959 to 91,361.

The Ministry said that the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 144.54 crore, including 66.65 lakh doses administered during the last 24 hours.

The Daily Positivity Rate rose to 1.34% today. It has been below 2% for 88 days now.

The Weekly Positivity Rate stood at 0.89% today, below 1% for the last 46 days.

NNN