India records 36,571 new COVID infections in last 24 hours, lowest in 150 days

Representational Image (Credits: PTI)

New Delhi: India recorded 36,571 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on Friday (August 20, 2021). The country also reported 36,555 recoveries in the last 24 hours, taking the total recovery count to 3,15,61,635. Additionally, the country also reported 540 deaths on Friday, taking the death toll to 4,33,589. 

The number of active cases has dipped to 3,63,605 which is the lowest in 150 days. The recovery rate is at 97.54% which is the highest since March 2020. The daily positivity rate is at 1.94% while the weekly positivity rate is at 1.94% less than 3% for the last 56 days, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 50,26,99,702 samples have been tested up to August 19 for COVID-19. Of these 18,86,271 samples were tested on Thursday.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, a study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in Chennai has found that the Delta variant of the coronavirus has the potential to infect both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. However, the findings also revealed that vaccination reduces the chances of mortality. 

Additionally, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday claimed that COVID-19 vaccines for children will likely be launched in India "very soon". 

"The Indian government has already given permission to Zydus Cadila and Bharat Biotech to conduct research for developing a COVID-19 vaccine for children. We are expecting that results of their research will arrive next month. I am confident that vaccines for children would become a reality very soon," Mandaviya told reporters.