India logs 2,528 new COVID-19 cases, daily positivity rate at 0.40 pc

New Delhi [India], March 18 (ANI): India continues to report a decline in COVID-19 cases with 2,528 fresh infections being recorded in the last 24 hours.
India had reported 2,539 daily infections on Thursday.
As the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India's active caseload currently stands at 29,181. It accounts for 0.07 per cent of the total cases.
The daily positivity rate and the weekly positivity rate was the same at 0.40 per cent on Friday.
With 3,997 new recoveries in the last 24 hours, the cumulative recoveries rose to 4,24,58,543. The recovery rate is at 98.73 per cent.
Total 149 people succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, taking the country's death toll to 5,16,281.
A total number of 78.18 crore tests have been conducted so far. Of these, 6,33,867 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 180.97 crore (1,80,97,94,588) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has said that this has been achieved through 2,12,97,331 sessions.
So far, more than 9 lakh (9,04,700) children in the age group 12-14 years have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The vaccination drive for this age group was commenced on March 16 and children are being administered Corbevax vaccine.
In the age group 15-18 years, 5,61,52,073 first doses and 3,52,82,337 second doses have been administered. Vaccination for this age group was started on January 3 this year.
The drive for the 'precaution doses' to the healthcare workers, frontline workers and 60 plus individuals with comorbidities commenced on January 10 this year. On March 16, the co-morbidity clause for administering precaution doses to those above 60 was removed. So far, 1,06,44,202 'precaution doses' have been inoculated to all eligible beneficiaries.
India commenced its nationwide COVID vaccination drive on January 16, 2021. Starting initially by inoculating vaccines to healthcare workers, it was then expanded to frontline workers, followed by people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years with comorbidities.
Later it was also expanded to all above 45 years of age and then those above 18 years of age.
The ministry said that more than 183.27 crore (1,83,27,25,060) vaccine doses have been provided to States and UTs so far through the government's free of cost channel and through direct state procurement category. More than 17.22 crore (17,22,25,196) balance and unutilized COVID vaccine doses are still available with the States and UTs to be administered, the ministry said. (ANI)