COVID-19: India’s cumulative tests inch closer to 15 crore

New Delhi: An average of more than 10 lakh tests conducted daily for detection of COVID-19 has ensured that the cumulative positivity rate is sustained at low levels and is following a downward trajectory, as India’s cumulative tests near 15 crore, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

The cumulative COVID-19 national positivity rate stands at 6.50 per cent as on date. The daily positivity rate is just 3.14 per cent. Higher volumes of testing eventually lead to low positivity rate, the ministry said.

Nineteen states and UTs have a weekly positivity rate more than the national average.

The ongoing trend of contraction of India’s total active cases continues. The active caseload of the country stands at 3,78,909 which comprises 3.89 per cent of the total infections reported so far.

The daily recoveries exceeding the daily new cases have ensured a total net reduction of the active caseload. A net decline of 4,957 cases has been recorded in the total active caseload in a span of 24 hours.

A total of 32,080 persons were found positive in a span of 24 hours while India has registered 36,635 new recoveries during the same period.

Keeping in line with its commitment to conduct more than one million tests every day, 10,22,712 samples were tested on Tuesday taking the total tests done so far for detection of COVID-19 to 14,98,36,767.

The testing capacity of the country has grown to 15 lakh tests per day, the ministry said.

India’s testing infrastructure has seen a significant boost with 2,220 labs across the country.

“An average of more than 10 lakh tests conducted daily has ensured that the cumulative positivity rate is sustained at low levels and is presently following a downward trajectory,” the ministry underlined.

The cumulative national positivity rate stands at 6.50 per cent as on date. The daily positivity rate is just 3.14 per cent. Higher volumes of testing eventually lead to low positivity rate.

Uttar Pradesh has the highest cumulative testing with more than 2 crore tests. Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are among the states with highest cumulative testing with more than 1 crore tests.  The recovery rate has also increased to 94.66 per cent. Total recoveries have surpassed 92 lakh on Wednesday.

Of the new recovered cases, 76.37 per cent are observed to be concentrated in 10 states and UTs.

Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of single day recoveries with 6,365 newly recovered cases. A total of 4,735 people recovered in Kerala in a span of 24 hours followed by 3,307 in Delhi.

Of the new cases, 75.11 per cent are from 10 states and UTs, the ministry said.

Kerala continues to report the highest daily new cases at 5,032. It is followed by Maharashtra with 4,026 new cases.

A total of 402 case fatalities have been reported in a span of 24 hours.

Ten states and UTs account for 76.37 per cent of new deaths. Delhi saw the maximum casualties (57). Maharashtra and West Bengal follow with 53 and 49 daily deaths, respectively.

The total coronavirus cases mounted to  97,35,850 with 32,080 new infections being reported in a day, while the death toll rose to 1,41,360 with 402 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.