Covid-19 cases declined on Tuesday with India reporting around 3,325 new infections in the last 24 hours, the union health ministry data stated. Active cases also declined to 44,175. 

While the daily positivity rate declined to 2.29%, the weekly positivity rate stood at 3.87%.

In the last three years of the pandemic, India has reported more than 44.9 million cases and 531564 covid related deaths.

Karnataka reported 1094 active cases, Kerala 10122 active cases, Maharashtra 3932 active cases, Gujarat 1093 cases, Delhi recorded 2709 cases, Tamil Nadu 2498 active cases, Haryana 3351 cases, Chhattisgarh 2239 cases, Rajasthan 2368 cases, Uttar Pradesh 2776 cases and West Bengal 2192.

Health experts said hospitalisations are mostly happening in cases where individuals are elderly and have comorbid conditions. 

Scientists have said that the XBB.1.16 variant of coronavirus is responsible for the current surge in cases. But the infection is supposed to be milder in nature and may not lead to a rise in hospitalisation rate as Indians have likely developed hybrid immunity due to vaccination and natural exposure to the disease. The Centre, however, has urged people to wear masks in crowded places and complete their vaccination doses.

The health ministry has directed states and union territories to follow a risk assessment-based approach to prevent and contain the infection. The ministry has advised state governments to examine the covid-19 situation at micro level (district and sub-districts) and maintain focus on implementation of necessary measures for prompt and effective management of covid-19 duly ensuring effective compliance.

Around 4.43 crore people recovered from the infection with 6,379 patients recovered int the last 24 hours. The current recovery rate touching 98.72%.

Meanwhile, the union health ministry directed the state/UT government to follow a risk assessment-based approach to prevent and contain the infection. The health ministry advised to the state governments to examine the situation of covid-19 at micro level (district &sub-districts) and maintain focus on implementation of necessary measures for prompt and effective management of covid-19 duly ensuring effective compliance.

Around 1,45,309 tests were conducted in a day, taking the total number of tests to 92.69 crore.

Under the covid vaccination drive, more than 220.66 crore vaccine doses have been administered to the people across the country so far. In the last 24 hours, around 2,180 vaccine doses were administered.