India Covid-19 cases surpass 6.2 million; vice-president Venkaiah Naidu tests positive
The country has witnessed a surge of 80,472 Covid-19 cases and 1,179 deaths in the last 24 hours. India's vice president tested positive for the virus.
The Indian health ministry announced on Wednesday that the country has reported 80,472 new Covid-19 cases over the past 24 hours ending Wednesday at 8 a.m. - raising the overall case tally in the country up to 6,225,764. India has also registered 1,179 new virus-related deaths increasing the country's death toll to 97,497 since the pandemic started.
India still comprises 940,441 active cases, whereas 5,187,826 people have recovered and been discharged from hospitals and isolation centers.
India's recovery rate is the highest globally
The past few days saw a downward trend regarding new infections reported daily as India has been earlier reporting over 90,000 infections per day and more than 10,000 deaths for nearly a month.
Less than 75,000 new infections and 1,000 deaths were reported yesterday across the country, with the country achieving the highest recovery rate globally as it stands at 83.33% and a fatality rate of 1.57%.
Speaking of new infections reported in India, the VP Secretariat announced on Tuesday that vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu has tested positive for Covid-19 only days after the parliament session that followed the suspension of almost six months.
The secretariat posted a tweet that said "The Vice President of India who underwent a routine COVID-19 test today morning has been tested positive. He is, however, asymptomatic and in good health,".
Naidu's daughter Deepa Venkat reassured people over the results of the family's tests and scans pointing out that her father's viral load is very mild and that the 71-year-old vice-president was advised to go into home to self-isolate.