Massive improvement in Covid situation: Active caseload lowest in 525 days

India's vaccination coverage exceeded 113 crores and the number of fully vaccinated individuals has surpassed those who have been administered only a single dose of vaccine. 

New Delhi: There has been a massive improvement in the Covid situation in the country following enhanced vaccination and other precautions resulting in a drop in the number of active cases.

Officials say the active caseload on Nov 16 stood at 1,30,793, the lowest in 525 days. Active cases account for 0.38 per cent of India's total positive cases.

Notably, this is also the lowest since March 2020. Between Nov 15 and 16, India registered 8,865 new Covid-19 cases. This means the lowest single-day infection spike in the last 287 days, the Union Health Ministry said.

India reported 10,197 fresh Covid cases and 301 deaths in the last 24 hours between Nov 16 and 17, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday morning. The recovery of 12,134 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally to 3,38,73,890. Consequently, India's recovery rate stands at 98.28 per cent, the highest since March 2020.

On Tuesday, Nov 16, the nationwide death stood at 4,63,852 after 197 more people succumbed to the pandemic. 

The recovery of 11,971 patients in 24 hours (Nov 15 and 16) had increased the cumulative tally to 3,38,61,756. Also, in the same period, 11,07,617 tests were conducted across the country, increasing the cumulative total to 62.57 crores.

Meanwhile, the weekly positivity rate at 0.96 per cent has remained less than 2 per cent for 54 days. Officials said the daily positivity rate at 0.80 per cent has also remained below 3 per cent for 78 consecutive days and less than 2 per cent for 43 days.  

India's Covid inoculation coverage also reached 112.97 crores as of Tuesday, Nov 16 morning. On Nov 17, the death toll climbed to 464,153.