India recorded 7,189 new cases of the novel coronavirus, along with 387 deaths due to the infection in the past 24 hours. According to the data shared by the Union Health Ministry on Saturday, the country saw a total of 7,286 discharges in the last 24 hours, taking the total recovery rate at around 98.40 per cent which is the highest since March 2020 and total recoveries data reached to 3,42,23,263.The total active cases of COVID-19 in India have declined to 77,032, the ministry data showed today. Over 141.01 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.The total death toll in the country is now at 4,79,520. In India, the first death due to the COVID pandemic was reported in March 2020.According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 67,10,51,627 samples have been tested up to December 24 for COVID-19. Of these 11,12,195 samples were tested on Friday.Meanwhile, Kerala recorded 2,605 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, taking the total affected in the state to 52,19,062. The state health department said 342 deaths were recorded which raised the toll to 46,203.Of the 342 deaths, 31 were recorded over the last few days and 311 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court.Among the districts, Thiruvana nthapuram recorded the highest number- 534, followed by Ernakulam with 496 cases and Kozhikode with 252 cases.The state tested 55,928 samples in the last 24 hours and there are six wards across five local self-government bodies across the state with a weekly infection population ratio above ten per cent. There are 1,29,501 persons under observation of which 3,896 are in isolation wards of various hospitals.
