Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya stated on Friday that cases of Covid variants are increasing globally and that necessary precautions are being taken. He further said that any traveller from one of the five listed countries must present a negative RTPCR report. The number of Covid positive passengers increased to 120 last week. All positive travellers were taken to isolation centres for treatment, news agency ANI reported citing the health minister.
The Indian government made the negative RT-PCR test report mandatory for international passengers travelling from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand from January 1.
According to Union Health Ministry data released on Friday, India recorded 228 new coronavirus infections, while the number of current cases fell to 2,503.
The Covid case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,79,547).
The death toll now stands at 5,30,714, with four people killed. Kerala reported two deaths in the last 24 hours, while Bihar and Uttarakhand reported one apiece, according to data updated at 8 a.m.
The daily positivity rate was 0.11 percent, while the weekly positivity rate was 0.12 per cent.
The active cases account for 0.01 percent of total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has risen to 98.80 percent, according to the ministry.
In the last 24 hours, the active Covid-19 caseload has decreased by 51 cases.
The number of people who have recovered from the infection has risen to 4,41,46,330, with a case fatality rate of 1.19 percent. According to the ministry's website, the country has received 220.12 crore doses of Covid vaccine as part of the statewide vaccination drive.
On August 7, 2020, India's Covid-19 tally surpassed 20 lakh, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5, and 50 lakh on September 16. It reached 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20, and one crore on December 19.
(With Inputs From PTI)