India reports 3.06 lakh daily new cases and 439 deaths; active cases highest in 241 days 

NEW DELHI: India logged 3.47 lakh new Covid 

 cases, while the active cases climbed to 22,49,335, the highest in 241 days, according to the union health ministry data 

updated on Monday.  

The death toll climbed to 48,98,48 with 439 fresh fatalities according to the data updated at 9 am. 

With a tally of 3.95 crore cases, India is the second worst-hit country after the US. 

The active cases now comprise 5.69 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate stands at 93.07 per cent 

An increase of 62, 130 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, according to the health ministry data updated this morning.

The daily positivity rate stood at 20.75 per cent, while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 17.03 per cent. 

The testing capacity across the country continues to be expanded. The last 24 hours saw a total of 14,74,753 tests being conducted. India has so far conducted over 71.69 crore (71,69,95,333) cumulative tests.

Meanwhile, more than 162.73 crore (1,62,73,06,725) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through Govt. of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category; and more than 13.83 crore (13,83,03,116) balance and unutilized Covid Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered. 

Moreover with the administration of more than 27 lakh Doses (27,56,364) vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 162.26 crore (1,62,26,07,516) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 1,75,24,670 sessions. The break-up of the cumulative figure as per the provisional report till 7 am today. 

In the last 24 hours, 439 lost their lives due to Covid while 2,43,495 recovered, according to latest official data.

Top stories of the day:

• Uttarakhand extends Covid restrictions till January 31

• Schools in Maharashtra to open today

• PM Modi to virtually interact with PMRBP awardees

• Ratan Tata to get Assam's highest civilian award

• US orders departure of its diplomats' families from Ukraine 

COVID-19 in India is moving towards 'endemic' stage: AIIMS senior epidemiologist 

The novel coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic is gradually sliding into the 'endemic' stage, a senior epidemiologist at AIIMS in New Delhi said on Sunday. 

The novel coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic is gradually sliding into the 'endemic' stage, a senior epidemiologist at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi said on Sunday. Speaking to ANI, Dr. Sanjay Rai asserted that on observing the rate of vaccination and natural infection, it can be predicted that "a majority of us will be getting infected." Citing medical studies, Dr. Rai remarked that people who have contracted the virus are "most-protected." 

It is to mention that endemic is a stage where cases are clustered to a particular geographical location and the infections are present throughout but in significantly diminished numbers. Explaining the propensity of the virus, Dr. Rai also noted that SARS-CoV-2, commonly known as COVID-19, is an RNA virus, i.e it has ribonucleic acid as its genetic material and has "mutated thousands of times." However, "the variants of concern are only five - alpha, beta, gamma, delta and current Omicron, which is a very fast transmitting disease. So very fast transmission is taking place all over the world," the senior AIIMS epidemiologist stated.

When asked if immunity against the virus will be impacted with the movement into the endemic stage, Dr. Rai elaborated, "The overall severity is less so the majority of us will get this infection." He also referred to thorough reviews and claimed that those who have contracted the novel virus tend to develop the most natural kind of immunity