In the last 24 hours, India registered 16,156 new Covid-19 cases and 733 fatalities, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. The new fatalities increased the death toll to 4,56,386.

Thursday’s infection count was 2,705 more than that of Wednesday’s when 13,451 people were detected as carrying the Covid-19 virus. The death toll on Thursday was also 148 more than that of Wednesday’s when 585 deaths were recorded to have succumbed to the disease.

The recovery of 17,095 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally to 3,36,14,434. Consequently, India’s recovery rate stands at 98.20 per cent, currently at its highest peak since March 2020.

The active caseload stands at 1,60,989, the lowest in 243 days. Active cases presently constitute 0.47 per cent of the country’s total positive cases, the lowest since March 2020.

Also in the same period, a total of 12,90,900 tests were conducted across the country. India has so far conducted over 60.44 crore cumulative tests.

Meanwhile, the weekly positivity rate at 1.19 per cent has remained less than 2 per cent for the last 34 days now. The daily positivity rate stands at 1.25 per cent, which has also remained below 2 per cent for the last 24 days and less than 3 per cent for 59 consecutive days now.

On the vaccination front, authorities have administered a total of 1,040,499,873 vaccine doses to eligible beneficiaries. Of these, 723,497,151 beneficiaries have received the first dose while the remaining 317,002,722 are fully vaccinated. Over 4.9 million beneficiaries were inoculated in the previous 24 hours. This has been achieved through 1,03,62,667 sessions.

The Union health ministry informed on Thursday that over 1.08 billion vaccine doses have been provided to states and Union territories so far through the Centre’s free-of-cost channel and direct state procurement category. While over 118.1 balance and unutilized doses are still available with the states/UTs to be administered, the ministry added.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya raised the issue at a review meeting with state health ministers on Wednesday and asked them to accelerate the pace of second dose coverage. Sources present at the meeting said the Centre said that among the 10.34 crore, 85% had taken Covishield while the remaining had taken Covaxin.

(With IANS inputs)