New Delhi : India reported a slight reduction in the daily rise of COVID-19 cases on Monday, with 636 fresh infections compared to 841 the previous day, according to the Union Health Ministry. The country also reported three additional deaths due to the virus. The active caseload increased to 4,394 after 85 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours. The three deaths, two in Kerala and one in Tamil Nadu, brought the total death toll to 5,33,364, according to health ministry data at 8 am.
The ministry reported that 548 individuals recovered from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 4.44 crore (4,44,76,150). The national recovery rate reached 98.81 percent, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.18 percent.
On Sunday, India reported 841 new COVID-19 cases, marking the highest daily rise in the past 227 days or over seven months, the ministry said. The active caseload spiked to 4,309 from 3,997 reported on Saturday (December 30, 2023).
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in January 2020, the country has reported 4.50 crore (4,50,13,908) cases so far. The increase in cases came after a period of relatively low infection rates, with daily cases dipping to double digits until December 5. The emergence of the coronavirus JN.1 sub-variant and colder weather conditions have led to the recent spike in cases.
Experts have advised people with comorbidities and the elderly to avoid crowded places and wear face masks while emphasizing that there is no need to implement public health measures right now.
As of December 29, 2023, 178 cases of the JN.1 sub-variant have been recorded in nine states, with Goa reporting the highest count at 47, followed by 41 in Kerala. Other states where JN.1 cases have been found include Gujarat (36), Karnataka (34), Maharashtra (9), Rajasthan (4), Tamil Nadu (4), Telangana (2), and Delhi (1).
