Covid-19: Total 3.52 crore samples tested in India so far, says Centre

As many as 8,01,147 samples were tested for coronavirus on Saturday which has pushed the total samples tested to 3,52,92,220.

The Union health ministry on Sunday said that the total number of samples tested for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has reached 3.52 crore after more than eight lakh samples were tested for six days in a row.

India’s Covid-19 tally on Sunday surged over 3 million after 69,239 cases and 912 were logged in the last 24 hours, according to the health ministry’s dashboard.(Mohd Zakir/HT Photo)

The Covid-19 positivity rate dropped to 7.67 percent last week from 9.67 per cent from August 3- 9, the ministry added.

As many as 8,01,147 samples were tested for coronavirus on Saturday which has pushed the total samples tested to 3,52,92,220.

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The increase in testing has also ensured steady expansion of the laboratory network. The health ministry said that at present a total of 1,515 labs are providing comprehensive testing facilities which include 983 government labs and 532 private labs.

The ministry attributed the steep rise in testing to effective implementation of the aggressive testing strategy of the Centre through a focused and graded approach.

“It is only by aggressive testing that positive cases can be identified, their contacts tracked in a timely manner and promptly isolated, as well as the severe and critical patients provided the needed clinical treatment,” it said. 

India’s Covid-19 tally on Sunday surged over 3 million after 69,239 cases and 912 were logged in the last 24 hours, according to the health ministry’s dashboard. The total cases include 707,668 active cases 22,80,566 recoveries and nearly 57,000 deaths. India is the only nation after Brazil and United States that has logged more than 3 million cases.

(With Inputs from PTI)