70% children administered first dose: Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

New Delhi: Over 70 per cent of India's adolescents in the 15-18 age group have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine so far, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Sunday.

He also appealed to all those in this age group who are eligible for vaccination to get inoculated at the earliest. Young India further strengthening the world's largest vaccination drive. Over 70 per cent of our youngsters between 15-18 age group have received their 1st dose of COVID19 vaccine," Mandaviya said. Health ministry data showed over 1.47 crore beneficiaries in the 15 to 18 age group are fully vaccinated.

The Union government on Sunday said that more than 12.37 crore unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and Union Territories.

Daily new cases in the country dipped below 50,000 after around 40 days, taking the country's virus tally to 4,26,31,421, while the active cases declined to 5,37,045, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. India logged 44,877 infections, while the death toll climbed to 5,08,665 with 684 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated. A total of 37,379 people had tested positive for the infection in a day on January 4.

The daily COVID-19 cases were recorded less than one lakh for seven consecutive days The active cases comprise 1.26 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has further improved to 97.55 per cent, the ministry said.