New Delhi, December 24: India registered 6,650 new Covid cases and 374 deaths in 24 hours, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family welfare on Friday morning. The tally of Omicron cases in the country rose to 358. With the addition of the new deaths, the toll has climbed to 4,79,133.

The Omicron infection tally has climbed to 358 across the nation. However, out of total Omicron positive, 114 have been discharged. So far 17 states have reported Omicron infection, said the Union health ministry.

The recovery of 7,051 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally to 3,42,15,977. Consequently, India's recovery rate stands at 98.40 per cent, highest since March 2020. COVID-19 3rd Wave, Which May Be Triggered by Omicron Variant, Likely to Peak in February 2022, Say Researchers at IIT-Kanpur.

India's active caseload is presently at 77,516. Active cases constitute 0.22 per cent of the country's total positive cases, which is the lowest since March 2020. Also in the same period, a total of 11,65,887 tests were conducted across the country. India has so far conducted over 66.98 crore cumulative tests.

Meanwhile, the weekly positivity rate at 0.59 per cent has remained less than 1 per cent for the last 40 days now. The daily positivity rate stands at 0.57 per cent, which has also remained below 2 per cent for the last 81 days and less than 3 per cent for 116 consecutive days now. Omicron Scare: Allahabad High Court Suggests Postponing 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections.

With the administration of 57,44,652 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's Covid inoculation coverage has reached 140.31 crore as of Friday morning.

More than 17.97 crore balance and unutilised Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states and union territories to be administered, according to the health ministry as of Friday morning.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 24, 2021 11:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).