India records 9,111 new Covid cases, 27 deaths

India has registered a single-day rise of 9,111 new coronavirus infections, and the count of active cases in the country has increased to 60,313, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

The tally of Covid cases in the country was recorded at 4.47 crore (44,827,226), it showed. The death toll increased to 5,31,141 with 27 deaths. The daily positivity was recorded at 8.40 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was pegged at 4.94 per cent.

While six deaths were reported from Gujarat, four were from Uttar Pradesh, three each from Delhi and Rajasthan, two from Maharashtra, one each from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and three reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The count of active cases now comprises 0.13 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.68 per cent, according to the health ministry website.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 44,23,57,72, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.18 per cent, the data showed.

According to the ministry’s website, 220.66 crore doses of vaccines have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.

Meanwhile, Delhi on Sunday logged 1,634 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 29.68 per cent, according to data shared by the city government’s health department.

With the new cases, Delhi’s COVID-19 tally climbed to 20,23,227. Three fresh fatalities pushed the death toll to 26,563, the health department bulletin stated.

Of the latest fatalities, COVID-19 was the primary cause of death in one of the cases, it stated.

According to the bulletin, the fresh cases emerged out of 5,505 tests conducted the previous day.

On Saturday, Delhi had recorded 1,396 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 31.9 per cent — the highest in 15 months.

The capital saw a positivity rate of 30.6 per cent on January 14 last year.

Delhi reported 1,527 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 27.77 per cent on Thursday, and two deaths.

The national capital’s daily tally of COVID-19 cases crossed 1,000 for the first time in more than seven months on Wednesday, while the positivity rate stood at 23.8 per cent.

Delhi had recorded 1,964 cases on August 18 last year.

The number of COVID-19 cases had dropped to zero on January 16 for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic. However, the city has witnessed a spurt in cases over the last fortnight.

The health department bulletin on Sunday said 270 of 7,951 beds in Delhi’s dedicated COVID-19 hospitals are occupied, while 3,393 patients are in home isolation.

The number of active cases currently stands at 5,297, it said.

Mock drills were conducted at Delhi hospitals on April 11 to ascertain their preparedness to tackle COVID-19.

Medical experts have said Omicron sub-variant XBB.1.16 could be driving the surge in cases in the city.

However, they maintained that there is no need to panic and people should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get their booster shots.

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had said last week that XBB.1.16 is not leading to severe infection among children. (With inputs from PTI)