New Delhi, August 27: India reported 44,658 fresh cases and 496 fatalities due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. Kerala logged more than 30,000 cases of new infections during the period, informed the Union Health Ministry on Friday.

Kerala yesterday reported 30,007 new COVID-19 cases, 18,997 recoveries and 162 deaths, as per the state health department. With this, the test positivity rate in the state is at 18.03 per cent.

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The total cases in the country jumped to 3,26,03,188 including 3,44,899 active cases. The active cases account for 1.06 per cent of the total cases in the country. India Reports 44,658 New COVID-19 Cases, 32,988 Recoveries and 496 Deaths in Past 24 Hours.

The total recoveries, as a sign of relief, are at 3,18,21,428 with 32,988 recoveries in the last 24 hours. The Union ministry informed that the recovery rate currently stands at 97.60 per cent.

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However, the total fatalities till date in the country due to this virus escalated to 4,36,861 where Kerala reported 162 deaths and Maharashtra reported 159 fatalities in the last 24 hours. The rest 175 deaths out of 496 fatalities were reported from other States and Union Territories.

The Health Ministry informed that 51.49 crore tests for detecting COVID-19 infection has been conducted till date. In this, the daily positivity rate is at 2.45 per cent that is less than 3 per cent for last 32 days. Also, the weekly positivity rate is at 2.10 per cent that is less than 3 per cent for last 63 days.

Giving details, the Indian Council of Medical Research informed, "Total number of samples tested up to 26th August is 51,49,54,309 including 18,24,931 samples tested yesterday."

As a part of the ongoing nationwide vaccination drive, the country has administered 61.22 crore vaccine doses till date. Yesterday, the health ministry informed that 50 per cent of the eligible population has been administered with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine under the world's largest vaccination drive. India's COVID vaccination drive commenced on January 16 this year.

Taking cognizance of COVID-19 cases soaring in Kerala and Maharashtra, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Thursday stressed on the need for "adequate intervention" in geographical areas having higher infection through measures such as contact tracing, vaccination drives and Covid appropriate behaviour. Bhalla's direction came as he reviewed steps taken by the state governments of Kerala and Maharashtra for checking the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

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