India records 18,088 Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours, death toll over 1.5 lakh

India recorded 18,088 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours, which took the overall caseload to 10,374,932, according to Union health ministry update on Wednesday.

The number of active cases stayed below three lakh, at 2,27,546, according to health ministry update at 8 am.

Two hundred sixty four fresh fatalities were recorded in the last 24 hours, which took the death toll to 1,50,114.

On Tuesday, India recorded 16,375 new cases of Covid-19, 29,091 recoveries, and 201 deaths. India’s active Covid-19 cases are steadily falling which has led to a decline in the overall burden on the health delivery structure, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said on Tuesday.

He also said that 44 per cent of active cases are in hospital with moderate or severe symptoms while 56 per cent of cases are very mild or asymptomatic and are in home isolation.

Days after the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) gave approval to two Covid-19 vaccines, Bhushan said that India is prepared to roll out vaccine within 10 days of emergency use authorisation (EUA), subject to government’s nod.

“We are prepared to roll out vaccine within 10 days of emergency use authorisation approvals. The final call will be taken by the government,” the Union health secretary told reporters at a press briefing.

However, responding to a question on the rollout of vaccines, Bhushan said that final decision will be taken by the government.

NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul said an optimistic scenario is emerging with the pandemic situation in India consistently improving in terms of active cases and new deaths declining.

“Let’s hope this trend will continue. In terms of the new UK mutant issue, this variant has entered this country and 71 people have been isolated. This shows our capacity to mount that kind of a scientific investigation.

India’s Covid-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 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.