India reports five new COVID-19 fatalities and 602 fresh cases amidst rising concerns

India has recorded five new fatalities and 602 fresh cases of COVID-19, as per the latest update from the health ministry. The current active cases in the country stand at 4,440.

Of the new fatalities, two were reported in Kerala, with one each in Karnataka, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu. The health ministry’s data, updated at 8 am, detailed that one of the deceased in Kerala was a 66-year-old man battling chronic liver disease, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and sepsis. The other was a 79-year-old woman with coronary artery disease and sepsis.

The country witnessed a decline in daily COVID-19 cases, reaching double digits until December 5, 2023. However, a resurgence has been noted, attributed to the emergence of a new variant and the onset of cold weather conditions.

During the peak of the pandemic in early 2020, daily cases surged into lakhs. Over the course of approximately four years, India has seen more than 4.5 crore infections and over 5.3 lakh deaths.

The recovery rate remains high, with over 4.4 crore people having recuperated from the disease, leading to a national recovery rate of 98.81%, as per the ministry’s website.

On the vaccination front, the country has administered 220.67 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines, reflecting ongoing efforts to combat the virus.