India recorded 1.94 lakh Covid-19 cases, 442 deaths and 60,405 recoveries on Wednesday.

In the past 24 hours, India added 1,94,720 new cases, as against 1,68,063 cases added the previous day.

Total active cases in the country rose to 9,55,319, with daily test positivity rate at 11.05 per cent.

Union Health Ministry data showed India's active cases stand at 2.65 per cent and recovery rate at 96.01 per cent.

Total fatalities have reached to 4,84,655, which is 1.34 per cent of the total cases.

Total 17,61,900 tests were conducted in past 24 hours.

After pausing for a day on Tuesday, India's average daily positivity rate has increased on Wednesday to 11.05 per cent. The weekly positivity rate is at 9.82 per cent.

India added 407 new Omicron cases on Wednesday taking the country's tally to 4868, with 1805 recoveries.

The nationwide Omicron status shows Maharashtra added 34 new cases taking the State's tally to 1281, followed by Rajasthan at 645 without any new addition. Delhi too didn't add any new cases with its tally at 546 on Wednesday.

Ensuring oxygen stocks

Even as the hospitalisations range between 5-10 per cent of the total cases, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday asked all the States and Union Territories to ensure adequate buffer stocks of medical oxygen at medical facilities sufficient for at-least 48 hours.

The letter was sent to all States/UTs asking them to ensure functionality of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants, availability of liquid medical oxygen, oxygen concentrators, inventory of oxygen cylinders and availability of life-support equipment such as ventilators, BiPAP, SpO2 systems and associate consumables.

It was also advised to explore a strategy and mechanism to leverage the private sector in times of peak of demand for oxygen.

Vaccinations

India administered 85,26,240 vaccine doses during the 24 hours completed on Wednesday morning. "India’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 153.80 crore (1,53,80,08,200) as per provisional reports till 7 am Wednesday," the health ministry bulletin said.

For the precaution doses to the frontline and healthcare workers as well as senior citizens, total 18.85 lakh doses have been administered since the start of the drive from Monday.

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