COVID-19 tally in India rises to 94.31 lakh with 38,772 fresh cases

New Delhi: The number of COVID-19 cases reported in India in a span of 24 hours dropped below 40,000 for the seventh time this month, taking the infection tally to 94.31 lakh, while the recoveries surged to 88,47,600, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated on Monday.

The total Coronavirus cases mounted to 94,31,691 with 38,772 new infections, while the death toll climbed to 1,37,139 after 443 more fatalities were reported, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 88,47,600, pushing the national recovery rate to 93.81 per cent. The COVID-19 case fatality rate declined further to 1.45 per cent.

The active COVID-19 caseload remained below five lakh for the 20th consecutive day.

There are 4,46,952 active cases in the country which comprise 4.74 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

According to the ICMR, 14,03,79,976 samples have been tested up to November 29 with 8,76,173 samples being tested on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that the Centre has planned to administer about 30 crore Indians with Covid-19 vaccine by August 2021. However, he also reiterated the need to follow appropriate protocols to fight off the disease.

While distributing masks and soaps at the Old Delhi Railway Station, the minister, who is also Chairman of the Indian Red Cross Society, said that the vaccine will be available before the middle of next year in India.

"In the first 3-4 months of next year, there is a possibility we will be able to provide vaccine to the people of the country. By July-August, we have a plan to provide vaccines to around 25-30 crore people and we are preparing accordingly," Vardhan told reporters.

"I would like to request everyone to remember and follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour like wearing masks and following social distancing. These are important for health," he said. In another important development, Moderna Inc is rpordedly applying for US and European emergency authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine on Monday after full results from a late-stage study showed it was 94.1% effective with no serious safety concerns.

Moderna reported that its vaccine's efficacy rate was consistent across age, race, ethnicity and gender demographics as well as having a 100% success rate in preventing severe cases of a disease that has killed nearly 1.5 million people.