India registers 15,388 new cases of COVID-19

India recorded 15,388 new cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the last 24 hours, according to Union health ministry updates on Tuesday. This took the nationwide tally to 11,244,786.

The number of active cases, which has seen a spike in recent weeks, came down by 1,285 to 1,87,462. The active cases dropped after increasing for six consecutive days.

The country also recorded 77 fresh fatalities, which pushed the death toll to 1,57,930, according to health ministry update.

India has been witnessing a surge in daily caseload due to a spike in a few states. According to health ministry, six states – Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu – account for 86.25 per cent of the new coronavirus cases.

While Maharashtra accounted for 59.90 per cent of the total new cases on Monday, Kerala’s caseload contributed 11.29 per cent to the tally of new infections.

The Centre is regularly holding high-level review meetings with the states and union territories showing a surge in new daily cases with Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan holding weekly review meetings.

The nationwide vaccination drive, launched on January 16, has so far been successful in inoculating 2.26 crore with 16,96,588 jabs being given till Monday evening. Cumulatively 2,26,85,598 vaccine doses have been administered in the country in 52 days since the vaccination drive launched.

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.