India witnesses slight increase in daily COVID-19 count and deaths, reports 16,326 new cases, 666 fatalities

With 666 more COVID-19-related fatalities in the last 24 hours, the death toll climbed to 4,53,708.

Representational image

New Delhi: With a slight rise in daily COVID-19 cases, India reported 16,326 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health ministry data on Saturday (October 23). 

The caseload due to coronavirus reached 3,41,59,562, while with 666 more fatalities, the death toll climbed to 4,53,708, the health ministry said. 

The active cases count in India declined to 1,73,728, the lowest in 233 days. The spike in daily COVID-19 cases has been less than 30,000 for 29 straight days and less than 50,000 daily new cases have been logged for 118 consecutive days now.

“The active cases have decreased to 1,73,728 comprising 0.51 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.16 per cent, the highest since March 2020”, the health ministry said.

As per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data, around 13,64,681 tests were conducted on Friday, thus pushing the total cumulative tests conducted so far in the country to 59,84,31,162.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.20 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was also recorded at 1.24 per cent, health ministry said.

The number of recoveries rose to 3,35,32,126, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.33 per cent.

India had recorded 15,786 new coronavirus infections and 231 fatalities, as per health ministry data on Friday. 

Meanwhile, the cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country so far has surpassed 101.30 crore.

(With PTI inputs)