Fourth wave scare: India logs 1,675 new Covid-19 infections, active caseload climbs to 14,841

The World Health Organization (WHO) chief on Monday reiterated that the Covid-19 pandemic `is far from over`.

New Delhi: Amid the fourth wave scare, India's Covid-19 case tally on Tuesday (May 24, 2022) increased by 1,675 to touch 4,31,40,068, while the number of active infections increased marginally to 14,841, the Union Health Ministry said. Active cases, which rose by nine in a day, now comprise 0.03 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate currently stands at 98.75 per cent, the health ministry said.

With 31 coronavirus-related fatalities reported from Kerala, the death toll also jumped to 5,24,490, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.41 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was 0.49 per cent, according to the ministry.

The total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in India so far under the nationwide inoculation drive has exceeded 192.52 crore.

Meanwhile, the number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 4,26,00,737, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.22 per cent.

Covid-19 pandemic 'far from over', reiterates WHO 

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has reiterated that the Covid-19 pandemic "is far from over".

"We still face many challenges. As I said yesterday, the pandemic is far from over. And even as we continue to fight it, we face the task of restoring essential health services, with 90% of Member States reporting disruption to one or more essential health services," the WHO chief said on Monday.

Addressing the 75th World Health Assembly, he said that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a massive increase of 28% in depression and 26% in anxiety disorders globally.

As the global coronavirus caseload topped 526 million, while the deaths surged to more than 6.27 million, Ghebreyesus called on every government to put the health of its people at the center of its plans for development and growth.

(With agency inputs)