Covid 4th wave: India reports 17,070 new cases, 23 deaths in last 24 hours

India reported 17,070 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday. Currently, the active cases stand at 1,07,189, which is 2,634 more than yesterday. India reported 18,819 cases on Thursday.\

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According to the Ministry there have been 14,413 recoveries. The total recoveries are now at 4,28,36,906 and the recovery rate stands at 98.55 per cent. 23 people succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, taking the country`s death toll to 5,25,139.

There was a minor dip in the daily positivity rate on Friday to 3.40 per cent from 4.16 per cent on Thursday. The weekly positivity rate stands at 3.59 per cent.

Under the nationwide vaccination drive, 11,67,503 COVID vaccines were administered in the last 24 hours. A total of 1,97,74,71,041 vaccines have been administered so far.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them with COVID vaccines free of cost.

In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to States and UTs.

Amid the recent surge reported in COVID-19 cases across the country, the Health Ministry of India on June 9 urged States and Union Territories to not lower their guards and strictly maintain COVID appropriate behaviour.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Thursday wrote a letter to States/UTs and directed them to ramp up RT-PCR testing, surveillance, clinical management, vaccination, COVID-19 protocols and take timely pre-emptive actions.