India reports 14,199 new COVID-19 cases, 83 deaths in last 24 hours

NEW DELHI: As many as 14,199 new COVID-19 cases and 83 deaths were reported in the country in the last 24 hours, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said on Monday.

With the new cases, the coronavirus tally in the country has reached 1,10,05,850 including 1,50,055 active cases and 1,06,99,410 discharges. The death toll has mounted to 1,56,385 with the loss of 83 lives in the last 24 hours.

As per the Health Ministry, 1,11,16,854 COVID-19 vaccines had been given till Sunday evening.

The total number of samples tested up to Sunday were 21,15,51,746, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research. The ICMR also said that 6,20,216 samples were tested on February 21.

The Centre has advised States to work on improving overall testing by focusing on an increasing proportion of RT-PCR tests, all negative Rapid Test results to be mandatorily followed by RT-PCR test and refocusing on strict and comprehensive surveillance among others amid rising concerns over the upsurge in COVID-19 cases across the country.

The country has been witnessing a rise in the active coronavirus caseload over the past few days. More than 74 per cent of cases of the country are in Kerala and Maharashtra. There has also been a spike in the daily cases in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir too are witnessing a surge in daily new cases, the government said. (Agency)