India records 754 fresh Covid cases. 

On 16^th March 2024 India recorded more than 700 Covid-19 cases for the first time in more than four months. The current number of active cases has reached to 4,623, as highlighted in the data updated by the Union Health Ministry of India. 

On 12^th of November 2022 the country had reported 734 cases as reported by media sources. 

Recently there has been an upward trend in number of cases with a total of 754 new coronavirus cases reported in a span of 24 hours, while the death toll has increased to 5,30,790 with one fatality reported by Karnataka. 

The total tally of Covid cases recorded so far in the country has reached to 4.46 crore (4,46,92,710). 

ACTIVE CASES AND RECOVERY RATE 

Active cases are now almost 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.80 per cent, according to data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare 

The number of people who have recovered from the Covid- 19 disease has increased to 4,41,57,297, while the fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. 

COVID 19 in India 

India had been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. India has the second-highest number of reported cases in the world, after the United States. The first case of COVID-19 in India was reported on January 30, 2020, and the number of cases quickly began to rise. 

The Indian government implemented a nationwide lockdown in March 2020 to try to slow the spread of the virus. The lockdown had significant economic and social impacts, but it was ultimately lifted in phases in the months that followed. 

India had experienced a devastating second wave of COVID-19 infections earlier in 2021. The second wave began in late February and peaked in early May, overwhelming the country’s healthcare system and leading to a significant number of deaths. The surge in cases was fuelled by the emergence of more contagious variants of the virus, as well as factors such as large gatherings and a relaxation of public health measures. 

VACCINATION IN INDIA AGAINST COVID 19 

The Indian government had launched a phased vaccination program, with priority given to healthcare workers, frontline workers, and those over the age of 60 or with underlying health conditions.  

India’s vaccination program includes two main vaccines: Covishield, which is a version of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India, and Covaxin, which was developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research. In addition to these vaccines, India also approved the use of the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine in April 2021. As of 30 January 2024, a total of 2,205,113,973 vaccine doses have been administered in the country. 

The situation of the virus in India and other countries has improved significantly, with a sharp decline in the number of reported cases and deaths owing to the vaccines. However, there are still concerns about the potential for a resurgence of the virus and there is a need to continue implementing public health measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing. 

Sources: PTI (Press Trust of India), Ministry of Health, WHO (World Health Organization)  

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