India reports 43,654 fresh coronavirus cases
India recorded 43,654 new coronavirus cases, 47 per cent higher than yesterday when fresh cases dipped below 30,000 for the first time in nearly four months. The positivity rate stands at 2.51 per cent. 640 deaths take India’s tally to 4.22 lakh.
The government on Tuesday sounded a warning against any sort of laxity. “The pandemic is far from over… globally. We have to be careful… We may be tired, but not the virus, this is an alert for us,” said Dr VK Paul, chairman of the National Expert Committee on Vaccine Administration.
Stressing on the need to step up vaccination, Dr VK Paul further said: “While no vaccine has a 100 per cent guarantee, all vaccines, even our own, shows that the chance of serious disease is nearly eliminated. The chance of death is nearly eliminated.”
In the last 24 hours, Kerala recorded 22,129 fresh cases. The surge in Kerala is worrying even as other states have seen a considerable drop in infections. “Up to 50 per cent of new cases are coming from Kerala and Maharashtra. The fatalities are low because their health infrastructure is good,” a source in Health Ministry has said.
India is expected to clear a vaccine for children in a matter of days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was told on Tuesday at a meeting of BJP MPs at parliament.