India has recorded 2.47 lakh new Covid cases today, the highest single-day jump in the ongoing wave, pushing the tally to 3.63 crore. The cases include 5,488 Omicron variant, of which only 1,805 people have recovered so far.
The active cases comprise 3.08 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid- recovery rate has decreased to 95.59 per cent. An increase of 1,62,212 cases has been recorded in the active Coronavirus caseload in a span of 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry data.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 13.11 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 10.80 per cent. The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive has exceeded 154.61 crore, the ministry said.
As many as 380 people have died of Covid during the past 24-hour period, according to the Health Ministry. This includes 199 deaths in Kerala in the last few months, added based on pending appeals after the last Supreme Court guidelines.
The Centre yesterday said lateral flow tests, which includes rapid-antigen and home-antigen tests, can detect COVID from the third day after exposure to the virus today eight while the RT-PCR test can diagnose the infection for up to 20 days. At a press conference, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava said on the first day one will test negative whatever tests they undertake.