Covid-19 fourth wave threat: India logs 18,738 new infections, 40 deaths in last 24 hours

New Delhi: India on Sunday (August 7, 2022) witnessed a sligh decline in fresh coronavirus infections. The country recorded 18,738 new Covid-19 cases today,  India's tally of COVID-19 cases has risen to 4,41,45,732 while the active cases have increased to 1,34,933, according to the Union Health Ministry data. 

The death toll has climbed to 5,26,689 with 40 fatalities which includes eight deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

An increase of 140 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,34,84,110, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent.

Additionally, the ministry informed that the active cases comprise 0.31 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.50 per cent. 

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 5.02 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 4.63 per cent, according to the ministry.

According to the ministry, 206.21 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.

The new fatalities include nine from Maharashtra, four each from Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, three from Manipur, two from Madhya Pradesh and one each from Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab and Tripura.

Meanwhile, the Centre on Saturday wrote to six states and the Union Territory of Delhi directing them to ensure adequate testing, promote COVID-appropriate behaviour and increase the pace of vaccination to control the further spread of viral infection promptly and in an effective manner.

The letters were sent to the State Health Secretaries of Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Telangana on reporting a high number of COVID cases and positivity rate.

The Health Secretary said the upcoming months are likely to witness mass gatherings in the context of various festivals to be held in different parts of the country leading to a large number of individuals undertaking intra and interstate journeys.

(With agency inputs)