INDIA REPORTED 36,571 NEW COVID-19 CASES AND 540 DEATHS IN LAST 24 HOURS

Today India recorded 36,571 new coronavirus cases and 540 deaths due to the virus in the last 24 hours. The country saw a total of 36,555 discharges in the last 24 hours, taking the total recovery rate at around 97.53 percent and total recoveries to 3,15,61,635.

The total active cases of COVID-19 in India have now declined to 3,63,605, the lowest in 150 days. 

The total death toll in the country is now at 4,33,589.

The Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said that the results of ongoing research for the development of Covid-19 vaccines for children may arrive next month and the antidote may be launched "very soon". He said the Centre is committed to vaccinating every citizen against coronavirus.

"Our aim is to vaccinate every citizen. The Indian government has already given permission to Zydus Cadila and Bharat Biotech to conduct research for developing a COVID vaccine for children. We are expecting that the results of their research will arrive next month. I am confident that vaccines for children would become a reality very soon," Mandaviya told the media.

India has achieved the milestone of conducting a cumulative of 50 crore COVID-19 tests across the country, the Indian Council of Medical Research [ICMR] informed today.

With 21,427 fresh cases, Kerala continues to be the state with the most daily Covid cases. It reported 179 deaths.

Tamil Nadu with 1,797 fresh cases, Andhra Pradesh with 1,433, Karnatka with 1,365 are other southern states with over 1,000 Covid cases daily. Telangana reported 424 cases.

Maharashtra, the state with the highest overall number of cases across the country, reported 5,132 Covid cases and 158 deaths today.

Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar - the four big states - reported zero Covid deaths today. Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand also reported zero Covid deaths.

Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state, reported 34 daily cases. It also reported one death. Neighboring Delhi reported 36 cases and four deaths in a single day.