COVID-19: Daily positivity rate above one per cent after 34 days
New Delhi(PTI): India logged 4,270 new coronavirus infections taking the tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,31,76,817, while the daily positivity rate was recorded above one per cent after 34 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.
The active cases rose to 24,052 and the death toll climbed to 5,24,692 with 15 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The active cases comprise 0.06 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was 98.73 per cent, the ministry said.
An increase of 1,636 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.03 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was 0.84 per cent, according to the ministry. On May 1, the daily positivity was recorded at 1.07 per cent.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,26,28,073, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.22 per cent.
The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 194.09 crore.
India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.
The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year. The 15 new fatalities include 13 from Kerala and one each from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh
A total of 5,24,692 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,47,865 from Maharashtra, 69,786 from Kerala, 40,107 from Karnataka, 38,025 from Tamil Nadu, 26,212 from Delhi, 23,520 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,204 from West Bengal.
The ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.
"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
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Delhi HC seeks Centre's stand on 'disappearance' of 70,000-kg heroin from seizure records
New Delhi, May 2: The Delhi High Court has sought the Centre's stand on a plea alleging disappearance of 70,772.48 kg of heroin from seizure records between 2018 and 2020.
Justice Subramonium Prasad issued a notice on a petition filed by B R Aravindakshan and asked the Centre to file its response within four weeks.
The petitioner, a journalist, has claimed that there is a huge discrepancy between the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report and the data released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding seizure of drugs in the country from 2018 to 2020.
"He (petitioner) states that cumulatively, 70,772.48 kg of heroin has
disappeared from seizure records between 2018 and 2020. Issue notice. Let replies be filed within four weeks," the court said in its order passed on Wednesday.
The petitioner has said "the alarming disappearance" of more than 70,000 kg of heroin, valued at approximately Rs 5 lakh crore in the international market, raises concerns of national security, social stability and economic repercussions.
The plea says the magnitude of the "discrepancy" is so large that if not sorted promptly, it may result in chaos in the society, but no action has been taken on the issue.
"On 12.09.2022, the petitioner filed a complaint before the MHA representing the data relating to the mismatch of data provided by NCRB and the data provided by Hon'ble Nityanand Rai, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs, concerning seizure of heroin during the year 2018 and 2020.
"The petitioner insisted that 70,772.54 kg heroin worth Rs 5 lakh crore seized in India has been missing, thus insisting the ministry that an immediate investigation should be ordered for the safety and welfare of the country," the petition says.
The petitioner has sought several directions with respect to the alleged mismatch, including a direction to the MHA to order an investigation in a stipulated time period.
The matter would be heard next on September 9.
