India on Monday recorded 16,135 new cases of Covid-19 infection along with 24 deaths due in the past 24 hours. An increase of 2,153 cases has also been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in the same period.
The total active cases of Covid infection have risen to 1,13,864, the health ministry data showed.
Meanwhile, Scientists in the US have developed a rapid COVID-19 test that can accurately detect all current variants of SARS-CoV-2 within hours. The test, CoVarScan, detects the signatures of eight hotspots on the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.
The researchers at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center in the US tested CoVarScan on samples collected from more than 4,000 patients.
The research, published recently in the journal Clinical Chemistry, shows that the test is as accurate as other methods used to diagnose COVID-19, and can successfully differentiate between all current variants of SARS-CoV-2.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu has witnessed a rise in the number of new coronavirus cases. It saw 2,672 in the last 24 hours, including two returnees from Maldives, pushing the overall tally to 34,82,775 till date, the Health Department said on Sunday.
There were no fatalities in the last 24 hours and the death toll remained at 38,026, a bulletin said here. As many as 1,487 people recuperated from the virus in the last 24 hours, aggregating to 34,30,245 leaving 14,504 active infections.
Chennai registered 1,072 new cases followed by Chengalpet 373, Coimbatore 145, Tiruvallur 131 and Tiruchirappalli 104, while the remaining were spread across districts. Tirupathur recorded the least with two fresh cases.
Kerala on Sunday recorded 3,322 fresh Covid-19 cases and two deaths which raised the total caseload in the State to 66,53,272 and the fatalities to 70,048 respectively.
The State reported that 3,258 people recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours and that the active cases increased to 28,720, according to official data.
On Saturday, the southern State reported 3,642 fresh cases and nine deaths.
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday informed that 90 per cent of India’s adult population has been fully vaccinated with both vaccine doses against Covid-19.
Calling the occasion an extraordinary feat, he tweeted, “What an extraordinary feat! With PM @NarendraModi Ji’s mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Prayas, India achieves complete vaccination of 90 per cent of its adult population. Way to go!
We will win the battle against the pandemic together!”
In the age group of 18-44 years, a total of 55,83,57,087 first doses and 50,22,61,478 second doses have been administered so far. The number of precaution doses administered in this group stands at 32,40,839, as per the health ministry report.
India’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 197.98 crore (1,97,98,21,197) as per provisional reports till 7 a.m. on Monday. This has been achieved through 2,58,55,578 sessions.
So far, more than 3.69 crore adolescents have also been administered with the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, said the ministry.
