India records 2,64,202 new COVID-19 cases, omicron tally climbs to 5,753

India recorded 2,64,202 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country’s total virus caseload to 3,65,82,129 which includes 5,753 cases of the omicron variant, data from the Union Health Ministry confirmed on Friday. 

The daily rise in COVID cases recorded on Friday was up by 16,785, or 6.7% compared to yesterday and is the highest single-day rise in 239 days. The country detected another 265 cases of the omicron variant in the last 24 hours. 

Active cases increased by 1,54,542 to 12,72,073 and comprise 3.48% of the total caseload. 

1,09,345 patients recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 3,48,24,706. The national recovery rate has decreased to 95.20%. 

The death toll has climbed to 4,85,350 with 315 fresh fatalities, with the mortality rate recorded at 1.33%. 

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 14.78 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 11.83 per cent, according to the ministry.

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 155.39 crore.  

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.

The 315 new fatalities include 117 from Kerala and 36 from Maharashtra.

A total of 4,85,350 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,41,737 from Maharashtra, 50,369 from Kerala, 38,397 from Karnataka, 36,930 from Tamil Nadu, 25,271 from Delhi, 22,946 from Uttar Pradesh and 19,985 from West Bengal. The ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.