India reported 17,336 new cases of Covid-19 on Friday, registering a 30% increase in the daily count. The total active caseload in the country now stands at 88,284. The weekly positivity rate is 3.07% while the daily positivity rate has increased to 4.32%. The total number of samples tested is 4,01,649.
The country reported 13,313 new Covid cases on Thursday, with Maharashtra responsible for 5,218, of which Mumbai reported 2,479 cases. Following the spike in the daily count, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday ordered health officials to conduct more tests and monitor hospital admissions. They have been asked to continue to focus on surveillance and on whole genome sequencing to scan for possible mutations. The minister stressed the need to focus on high-positivity districts and to conduct adequate testing with a higher proportion of RTPCR testing to assess and control the spread of infection. He urged the government to increase vaccination rates, including booster doses in districts reporting higher cases.
“Since there are sufficient vaccine doses available, let there be no vaccine wastage while you focus on accelerating vaccination among the eligible and vulnerable groups,” he said.
PTI adds: Meanwhile, Delhi registered 1,447 new Covid cases and another death on Friday, while the positivity rate fell to 5.98%, according to data shared by the country’s health department.
