India’s COVID-19 count crosses 1-crore mark

According to the Union Health Ministry, the total numbers of recovered and active cases in the country are 95,50,712 and 3,08,751 respectively. Meanwhile, the country's death toll stands at 1,45,136.

New Delhi: With 25,153 new infections in the last 24 hours, India’s COVID-19 case tally crossed the 1-crore mark, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the total numbers of recovered and active cases in the country are 95,50,712 and 3,08,751 respectively. Meanwhile, the country’s death toll stands at 1,45,136.

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The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Saturday stated that 16,00,90,514 samples have been tested up to December 18. As many as 11,71,868 samples were tested on Friday.

The health ministry said that India’s COVID recoveries have witnessed a steep exponential rise – from 50,000 in May to over 95 lakh in December. The recoveries are more than 30 times the active cases (currently only 3.14 per cent of total cases).

This has resulted in “very high” recovery rate of more than 95 per cent, one of the highest globally. This is fuelled by 34 States and UTs reporting more than 90 per cent recovery rate.

The health ministry said that the central government’s calibrated strategies through a “whole of government” approach have sharply focussed on high Recovery Rate and low Fatality Rate on a sustained basis.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Friday had said that health requires a holistic approach, we need to focus as much on prevention as we do on diagnosis and treatment.

“The government through its various programs is improving social determinants of health like sanitation, proper housing and providing clean cooking fuel which will aid in ending Tuberculosis,” said Harsh Vardhan.