Nation sees lowest Covid deaths in 8 months

New Delhi, January 18

The daily coronavirus infections fell below 14,000 for the second time this month, taking India’s COVID-19 caseload to 1,05,71,773, while 145 new fatalities were recorded, the lowest in around eight months, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

A total of 13,788 infections have been reported in a day. The country’s death toll increased to 1,52,419 with 145 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. The recoveries have crossed 1.02 crore.

The daily COVID-19 infections were 12,548 on January 12.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,02,11,342, pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate of 96.59 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.44 per cent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh.

There are 2,08,012 active cases of coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 1.97 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the ICMR, 18,70,93,036 samples have been tested up to January 17 with 5,48,168 samples being tested on Sunday.

The 145 new fatalities include 50 from Maharashtra, 21 from Kerala, 12 from West Bengal and 8 from Delhi.

A total of 1,52,419 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 50,438 from Maharashtra, followed by 12,264 from Tamil Nadu, 12,166 from Karnataka, 10,746 from Delhi, 10,053 from West Bengal, 8,576 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,140 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,504 from Punjab.

The Health Ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

“Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the Ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures was subject to further verification and reconciliation. PTI

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.