India's daily Covid death toll rises to 3,998, cases at 42,015

India reported 42,015 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours taking the total infections to over 3.12 crore, according to the country's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare update. 

In a 24-hour period, the country also reported 3,998 deaths, the highest since June 12, 

Indian state of Maharashtra added 3,509 Covid deaths after revising its data for the 14th time leading to a massive surge in total fatalities on Wednesday. 489 new deaths were reported from the rest the country taking the total tally to 3,998. Total deaths have crossed 4.18 lakh since the beginning of the pandemic, said an NDTV report.

Active Covid cases have declined to 4.07 lakh in India - the infections are going down each day. Active cases constitute 1.30 per cent of total infections. 36,977 patients recovered in the last 24 hours taking total recoveries so far to over 3.04 crore.

The recovery rate has increased to 97.36 per cent. The daily positivity rate is at 2.27 per cent - less than 3 per cent for 30 straight days in a major sign of relief. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Covid positivity rate below 5 per cent to be within the safe zone.

Over 34 lakh vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours. The total doses administered in the country has exceeded 41.54 crore so far, the Indian health ministry said.

The government aims to vaccinate all adults by the end of this year. So far, four vaccines - Covishield, Covaxin, Russia's Sputnik V and Moderna - have been cleared for use in the country.

Four vaccine candidates are at different stages of human trials while one, developed by Genique Life Sciences, is in the advanced pre-clinical stage, while Biological E Ltd's vaccine candidate is also in phase three clinical trial.

Roughly two-thirds of all Indians over six, or 67.6 per cent of the population, have antibodies against the coronavirus, the government said today as it announced the results of the fourth serosurvey. This means around 40 crore are still at risk of infection, the government said and warned against laxity in rules.

The US eased the travel advisory for India, lowering it from the highest Level 4, which means no travel, to Level 3, which urges citizens to reconsider travel.

At an all-party meeting on Tuesday, PM Modi said the parties discussed the various steps being taken to mitigate the situation and strengthening healthcare infrastructure.