India records 18k new coronavirus cases, 228 deaths

New Delhi: With 18,222 new coronavirus cases and 228 deaths recorded in the past 24 hours, India's overall infection tally stood at 1,04,31,639 on Saturday, while the death toll reached 1,50,798, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

India continues its streak of low daily new cases and the country has reported a total of 1,00,56,651 recoveries so far.

The recovery rate stands at 96.41 per cent, while the fatality rate is 1.45 as per cent.

Currently, there are 2,24,190 active cases.

The total number of samples tested up to January 8 is 18,02,53,315, including 9,16,951 samples tested on Friday, the Indian Council of Medical Research said.

Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state with 1,954,553 total cases.

About per cent of the daily new cases are being reported by 10 states and union territory -- Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

On Wednesday, the government deployed a high-level Central Team to Kerala to review the public health interventions in the management of the pandemic by the state government and support the health authorities in these measures.

Meanwhile, the most-awaited mass vaccination drive is slated to begin soon, with the approval of two vaccines.

The Centre has planned to vaccinate nearly 30 crore people in the first phase.

It will be offered to 1 crore healthcare workers; 2 crore frontline and essential workers; 26 crore people above the age of 50; and 1 crore below 50 with comorbidities.