India reports 36,401 new Covid cases, 530 deaths

NEW DELHI, Aug 19
India on Thursday reported 36,401 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said.
The death toll rose to 4,33,049 with 530 fresh fatalities.
India’s active cases have declined to 3,64,129. "Active cases account for 1.13% of total cases; lowest since March 2020," the Health Ministry said in a statement.
India's recovery rate currently stands at 97.53%, highest since March 2020.
Meanwhile, Covid-19 vaccination coverage has crossed the landmark of 56 crore.
56,64,88,433 vaccine doses were administered in the last
24 hours.
"With average daily testing of more than 17 lakhs in August, India
has tested 50 crore samples across the country.
India has achieved the milestone of the last ten crore tests in only 55 days," Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said.
Weekly positivity rate was recorded at 1.95 per cent.
 It has been below three per cent for the last 55 days, according to the Health Ministry. Daily positivity rate has been less than 3% for the last 24 days.
Despite spikes in infections in some pockets of the country, daily cases of Covid in India have gradually but steadily declined through August so far.
India's Covid-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 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.
India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.

Times of India