Daily virus cases in India fall below 100,000 after two months

New Delhi, June 8, (dpa/GNA) – India reported fewer than 100,000 new coronavirus infections after a gap of 63 days, government data showed Tuesday.

A single-day rise of 86,498 cases was registered, the lowest spike in 66 days, taking the total caseload to nearly 29 million, according to the federal Health Ministry bulletin.

Covid-19 claimed 2,123 more victims, taking the overall death toll past 350,000, it said.

The positivity rate – or the number of positive cases identified per 100 people – stands at 4.62 percent.

India, hit hard by the second wave of the pandemic, registered over 400,000 cases daily during its peak in early-May.

So far, only some 3.5 percent of the more than 1.3 billion inhabitants in India have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced free vaccine doses for all adults after the government’s vaccination strategy was heavily criticized by the Supreme Court.

Several regions including national capital New Delhi and the financial hub of Mumbai have cautiously begun easing lockdown measures from Monday following the decline in infections.

Indian health experts have advised caution and stepping up of the vaccination drive, warning that India could see another wave of infections before the end of the year.

GNA