India's daily Covid-19 cases dip below 20,000 after gap of nearly six months
New Delhi, Dec 22: The number of daily new coronavirus infections reported in the country was recorded below 20,000 after nearly six months while the COVID-19 active caseload fell below 3 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.
India's COVID-19 caseload rose to 1,00,75,116 with 19,556 new infections being reported in a day. The death toll increased to 1,46,111 with 301 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 96,36,487 pushing the national recovery rate to 95.65 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.
The COVID-19 active caseload has fallen below 3 lakh.
There are 2,92,518 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 2.90 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 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.
According to the ICMR, 16,31,70,557 samples have been tested up to December 21 with 10,72,228 samples being tested on Monday.
The 301 new fatalities include 55 from Maharashtra, 41 from West Bengal, 27 each from Kerala and Delhi.
A total of 1,46,111 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 48,801 from Maharashtra followed by 12,016 from Karnataka, 11,995 from Tamil Nadu, 10,304 from Delhi, 9,401 from West Bengal, 8,212 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,078 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,212 from Punjab.
The health 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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CM Siddaramaiah rules out CBI probe in sexual abuse case against MP Prajwal, reposes faith in SIT
Bengaluru (PTI): Ruling out transfer of the probe into sexual abuse charges against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna to the CBI, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said he reposed faith in the Special Investigation Team of the state police, which is investigating the case.
Questioning BJP's locus standi to make such a demand, he asked the opposition party as to why it doesn't trust the police. He also hit out at the saffron party for making misleading statements aimed at causing confusion in the minds of the people about SIT, which is conducting a "fair probe".
"We are getting the probe done by our police (SIT), we have belief and faith in our police. They are efficient," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question on BJP demanding a CBI probe.
Speaking to Reporters here, he pointed out that the BJP had once called CBI "Corruption Bureau of Investigation", and the party never handed over a single case to the central agency while in power, despite Congress' repeated demands.
He further said, "It's not that I don't have faith in CBI, the cases that need be handed over to CBI will be given. When I was the Chief Minister earlier, I had given seven cases to CBI, but there was no conviction even in a single case... that doesn't mean I dont have faith in CBI... SIT is also an investigating agency like CBI, we will get the probe done by our police."
The 33-year-old JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former PM H D Deve Gowda, is facing charges of sexually abusing women. The scandal has raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.
While the Congress government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the cases, the BJP and JD(S) -- NDA partners -- have demanded that it be handed over to the CBI, and action against those behind the circulation of explicit videos.
Responding to allegations that BJP leader Devaraje Gowda was arrested to save ruling Congress and its leaders, who are allegedly behind circulation of explicit videos, the CM said the BJP's job is to make false allegations.
"He (Devaraje Gowda) has been arrested following allegations of sexual abuse against woman, a complaint was filed on April 1. We are not interfering in the investigation of the police (SIT). Police have been given full freedom, it is their duty to investigate and get the guilty punished.
To a query on Union Minister Pralhad Joshi's alleged statement accusing Congress government of "witch hunt" against BJP workers in connection with the case, Siddaramaiah said, Pralhad Joshi is a central Minister and he should speak responsibly.
"....BJP leaders are experts in lying, they only make false allegations," he said, adding that SIT is conducting a fair probe, to mislead and cause confusion in the minds of the people, intentionally such statements are being made.
