India logs 18,840 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours; daily positivity rate stands at 4.14%

New Delhi: India reported 18,840 new COVID-19 cases and 43 patients deaths in the last 24 hours. The death toll in the country has gone up to 5,25,386, whereas active cases in the country now stand at 1,25,028, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

As per the Health Ministry, 16,104 COVID-19 patients recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries since the onset of the pandemic in the country to 4,29,53,980.

The daily positivity rate now stands at 4.14 per cent, while the rate of recovery currently is 98.51 per cent.

COVID-19 cases have been on a rise in West Bengal, where everyday more than 2000 cases are being reported.

According to the Times of India, a few private hospitals in Kolkata will admit only those COVID-19 patients whose oxygen saturation levels are low or have comorbidities, to keep wards and beds for non-COVID-19 patients.

The COVID-19 patients will be advised to stay in home isolation, and will only be admitted to the hospital if the condition worsens. This week, three COVID-19 deaths were reported from a private hospital, while the number of patients have increased, where the majority have mild symptoms, say hospitals.

Keeping in mind the rise of COVID-19 cases in the state, West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu on Friday said the state government is not immediately planning to close schools and colleges, and a decision on this will be taken on the advice of the Health Department.

Under the nationwide vaccination drive, 12,26,795 COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the last 24 hours. The cumulative vaccine doses jabbed to date are 1,98,65,36,288.

In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to States and UTs.

According to the Indian Express, Corbevax and Covaxin were approved for children aged between five and 12 years, by the NTAGI’s Standing Technical Sub-Committee (STSC).

There was no decision made to introduce these vaccines in the current vaccination drive. Members of the STSC discussed data concerning Corbevax from Biological E and Covaxin from Bharat Biotech, and decided to recommend the vaccines for children between the ages of five and 12 years.

With inputs from agencies

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