Poonam Singh

New Delhi: India's COVID-19 caseload rose to 1,03,95,278 with 20,346 new infections being reported in a day, while the number of recoveries surpassed one crore, according to data updated by the Union health ministry on Thursday.

The death toll increased to 1,50,336 as 222 people succumbed to the disease in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.


India continued its streak of low daily new cases. Till now, 1,00,16,859 have recovered. Currently, there are 2,28,083 active cases. The recovery rate stands at 96.36 per cent while the fatality rate is 1.45 as per cent.

The total number of samples tested up to January 6 is 17,84,00,995 including 9,37,590 samples tested on Wednesday, the Indian Council of Medical Research said.

Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state till date with 1,954,553 total cases.

Over 79 per cent of the daily new cases are being reported by 10 states and union territory -- Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

On Wednesday, the government deployed a high level Central team to Kerala to review the public health interventions in management of Covid-19 by the state government and support the health authorities in these measures.

Meanwhile, the most-awaited mass vaccination drive is slated to begin soon, with approval of two vaccines. The Central government plans to vaccinate nearly 30 crore people in the first phase of drive.

It will be offered to one crore healthcare workers, along with 2 crore frontline and essential workers, 26 crore people above the age of 50 and one crore below 50 with comorbidities.

(With IANS Inputs)

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