India on Thursday reported 1,65,553 new COVID-19 cases as 3,460 more patients succumbed to the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry said.
India’s overall tally of Covid-19 cases now stands at 2,78,94,800 with 21,14,508 active cases and 3,25,972 deaths so far.
This is for the fourth time since April 14 that India has recorded less than two lakh cases of Covid. On May 25, India has recorded 1.96 lakh cases of Covid, first time since April 14.
The fatalities have also remained below 4,000 for four consecutive days.
According to the Health Ministry, a total of 2,54,54,320 people have been discharged. In the last 24 hours, 2,76,309 have been cured.
The Health Ministry said that a total of 21,20,66,614 people have been vaccinated so far in the country.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 34,31,83,748 samples have been tested up to May 29 for Covid-19. Of these 20,63,839 samples were tested on yesterday.
On Monday, India crossed a grim milestone of three-lakh deaths due to the coronavirus infections, thus becoming world’s third country after the US and Brazil to cross three-lakh deaths.
India registered record deaths due to Covid exactly a week back with 4,529 deaths — the highest number of fatalities from Covid infection in any country since the coronavirus outbreak was reported in China’s Wuhan in December 2019.
It surpassed 4,468 deaths in the US on January 12, and earlier 4,211 in Brazil on April 6. These three are the worst hit by the pandemic.
After battling a brutal second wave for weeks, fresh Covid cases came down below the three lakh mark for the first time on May 17 after touching record high of 4,14,188 on May 7.