India recorded 6,650 new cases of the novel coronavirus, along with 374 deaths due to the infection in the past 24 hours. According to the data shared by the Union Health Ministry on Friday, the country saw a total of 7,051 discharges in the last 24 hours, taking the total recovery rate at around 98.40 per cent which is the highest since March 2020 and total recoveries data reached to 3,42,15,977.The total active cases of COVID-19 in India have declined to 77,516, the ministry data showed today. Over 140.31 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.The total death toll in the country is now at 4,79,133. In India, the first death due to the COVID pandemic was reported in March 2020.According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 66,98,09,816 samples have been tested up to December 23 for COVID-19. Of these 11,65,887 samples were tested on Thursday.Meanwhile, fresh COVID-19 cases in Kerala again dropped below the 3,000 mark with the state on Thursday reporting 2,514 new infections which took the caseload to 52,16,457. The southern state had reported 3,205 fresh cases on Wednesday prior to which it had logged less than 3,000 new infections for three consecutive days.On Thursday, the state also reported 323 deaths which raised the toll to 45,861, a government release said. Of the 323 deaths, 54 were recorded over the last few days and 269 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court.With 3,427 more people recovering from the virus since Wednesday, the total recoveries reached 51,55,142 and the active cases dropped to 26,605.
