India logs 83,876 fresh COVID-19 cases, 895 more deaths
New Delhi(PTI): India on Monday reported 83,876 fresh COVID-19 cases that took its total tally to 4,22,72,014, according to Union health ministry data.
This is the first time in around 32 days that daily cases have dropped below one lakh.
The death toll climbed to 5,02,874 with 895 more fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The number of active cases in the country has declined further to 11,08,938, comprising 2.62 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 96.19 per cent, the ministry said.
A reduction of 1,16,073 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 7.25 per cent, while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 9.18 per cent, the ministry said.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,06,60,202. The case fatality rate stands at 1.19 per cent, it said.
The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive have exceeded 169.63 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.
India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4, 2021, and three crore on June 23.
The 895 new fatalities include 515 from Kerala and 66 from Maharashtra.
So far, 5,02,874 deaths have been reported in the country, including 1,43,074 from Maharashtra, 58,255 from Kerala, 39,347 from Karnataka, 37,759 from Tamil Nadu, 25,983 from Delhi, 23,318 from Uttar Pradesh and 20,823 from West Bengal.
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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Prateek Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger son, dies at 38
Lucknow (PTI): Prateek Yadav, the younger son of Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, has died at the age of 38 after falling ill with cardiac-lung complications early Wednesday.
Prateek, a fitness enthusiast who chose to stay away from the spotlight notwithstanding the fact that he belonged to a prominent political family, was declared brought dead at the civil hospital here, family and friends said.
Aparna Bisht Yadav, his wife, is a BJP member and vice chairperson of the State Women's Commission. She was out of town and rushed back home Wednesday afternoon.
SP chief and stepbrother Akhilesh Yadav were among those who expressed their shock at the death.
"He was a very good young man who wanted to achieve something through his own hard work. Sadly, he is no longer among us," he said.
Asked about the circumstances surrounding the death, the SP chief said the family would follow all legal procedures.
"Whatever the law says and whatever the family decides, we will abide by that," Akhilesh Yadav said, adding that he had met Prateek about two months ago and had advised him to take care of his health and continue expanding his work.
Prateek died due to "cardiorespiratory collapse caused by massive pulmonary thromboembolism", according to the provisional postmortem report prepared at the King George's Medical University (KGMU) here.
The condition refers to a large blood clot blocking arteries of the lungs, leading to sudden failure of heart and lung functions, sources at KGMU said.
The postmortem report also mentioned six antemortem injuries to his chest, under his right arm, right forearm, right elbow joint, over the elbow and left wrist.
While injury '1' was present over the chest, the injury '2' was present over posteromedial aspect of right arm, injury '3' was over medial aspect of right arm, while injury '4' was below the right elbow. Injury '5' was over the posterior lateral aspect of right elbow while injury '6' was on dorsum of left wrist, the report said, adding that ecchymosis was present underneath in the injuries.
"Injuries 1, 2, and 3 are about five-seven days old. Injuries 4, 5, and 6 are about one day old," the report added.
Prateek had been battling deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism and recent cardiac complications, said a senior doctor who treated him.
"He was my old follow up (patient) for last five-six years for hypertension and DVT. Recently he developed sudden onset of breathlessness and chest discomfort. He was also diagnosed with pulmonary embolism about three weeks back," Ruchita Sharma, associate director, Department of Medicine, Medanta Hospital, told PTI on phone.
Prateek's mother Sadhna Gupta, who died in 2022, was Mulayam Yadav's second wife. He was in his teens when the two got married.
As speculation swirled about the circumstances leading to the sudden death, Civil Hospital Director Dr G C Gupta said, "We ran the necessary SOPs, and after confirmation, we informed senior officials and police."
Asked about reports claiming that Prateek was found unconscious in the kitchen, Gupta said, "Various things are being said, but I can't say anything for sure."
The doctor said a driver from Prateek's residence had come to the hospital around 5.30 am seeking emergency help, following which an Emergency Medical Officer accompanied him back to the residence and took Prateek to hospital.
As news of the death came in, the SP and the BJP cancelled their political programmes in Uttar Pradesh.
SP leader and Prateek's uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav described the death as "extremely sad" and prayed for peace to the departed soul.
"The demise of Shri Prateek Yadav Ji is extremely heartbreaking! May God grant peace to the departed soul. Humble tribute!" the SP said in a post on X.
The BJP said district-level protests planned by women workers across the state on Wednesday have been postponed following Prateek Yadav's demise.
"The sudden demise of Shri Prateek Yadav Ji, son of former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, 'Padma Vibhushan', the late Mulayam Singh Yadav Ji, and husband of Smt. Aparna Yadav Ji, Vice-Chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission, is extremely heartbreaking. Humble tribute," Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath posted on X.
State Congress chief Ajay Rai also expressed his grief at the "sudden demise" of the Yadav family member.
"I'm really shocked. He was a young man... I extend my condolences to the bereaved family in this hour of grief and stand by them," said Congress UP in-charge Avinash Pande.
Mourners, including supporters of both the SP and the BJP, started gathering outside the family's Vikramaditya Marg residence soon after news of his death spread. Police tightened security and erected barricades in the area.
The chief minister and some state ministers also visited the residence to pay their last respects.
Dhirendra Yadav, national secretary of the Samajwadi Shikshak Sabha, who stood outside the residence, said he had known Prateek for years.
"I still can't believe that someone as fit as him has passed away so suddenly," he said.
The last rites will be performed on Thursday, priest Mahendra Sharma said.
Around 2.20 pm, Shivpal Yadav reached the residence along with other family members, including Akhilesh Yadav, his wife Dimple Yadav and relatives from the family's native Saifai village.
The nameplate outside the house bears the names "Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav", "Smt Sadhna Yadav", "Prateek Yadav", "Aparna Yadav" and "Shine and Blush", the names of the couple's daughters.
The large black iron gate with golden motifs remained shut with only close relatives and friends being allowed inside.
According to advocate Vishwanath Chaturvedi, on whose PIL the Supreme Court had ordered a CBI probe into the disproportionate assets case against Mulayam Yadav, the late SP patriarch had publicly acknowledged in court in 2006 that Prateek was his son and Sadhna his wife.
Although Mulayam and Sadhna had been together for years, the statement in court was the first public acknowledgement of their relationship, he said.
On January 19 this year, Prateek openly accused his wife of ruining his family ties in a lengthy Instagram post and said he would seek a divorce from her at the earliest. However, on January 28, he announced reconciliation with his wife.
In a video he posted on Instagram, Prateek said, "On January 19, I had a serious dispute with my wife Aparna, following which I made two posts on social media. However, the matter has now been resolved mutually after discussions, and there is no longer any dispute between us."
He also posted a caption in the video: "Haters, go to hell."
