India has recorded 12,193 fresh Covid-19 cases in a span of 24 hours, with the number of active cases of the infection going up to 67,556, the Union health ministry informed on Saturday. The death toll due to the viral disease has increased to 5,31,300 with 42 more fatalities. The death toll included 10 reconciled by Kerala, according to the ministry's data. The fresh cases are slightly higher than the previous day when 11,692 new Covid infections were reported on Friday.


The total tally of Covid cases was recorded at 4,48,81,877.


The active cases account for 0.15 per cent of the total caseload, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.66 per cent, according to the health ministry's website.


The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has gone up to 4,42,83,021, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.18 per cent.


According to the ministry's website, 220.66 crore doses of Covid vaccines have so far been administered to people across the country. 


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Covid Cases Have Stabilised In Delhi, Likely To Taper Down In Coming Days: Health Minister


Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the national capital’s Covid cases have stabilised and are likely to taper down in the coming days. 


"Covid cases have sort of stabilised. Recently, it was being said that the cases were showing an upward trend. Now, it is likely to taper down in the coming days”, he was quoted by the news agency PTI.


When the Delhi Health Minister was asked about the fatalities being reported regularly in Delhi due to the viral disease, Bharadwaj said that most of the coronavirus-related deaths in Delhi during the recent times were caused by comorbidities and that Covid was incidental. 


"In most of these cases, patients had serious illnesses for a long time and Covid was incidental. But, any death is unfortunate, and it should not happen”, he said.


Out of 7,976 Covid beds in the hospitals of Delhi, 390 are occupied, the health department data showed. A day earlier, the city reported six deaths along with 1,757 new cases with a positivity rate of 28.63 per cent.
 
When asked about special arrangements considered for schools and children in view of the Covid cases, the minister said no such step was being planned as of now.


"We are telling teachers that if students have cough and cold, those children should be advised to take rest. We will appeal to parents to not send their children to school if they have such symptoms," he said.


On the Delhi government's preparedness to fight the Covid pandemic, Bharadwaj assured that all arrangements are in place including Covid beds and oxygen beds. 


 "We have all our arrangements in place, including Covid beds, oxygen beds, ICU beds, oxygen supply, and others”, he said.