New Delhi: India recorded 15,102 fresh infections in the past 24 hours. The recovery rate at 98.42 per cent accounted for 31,377 recuperations in the last 24 hours taking the total recoveries to 4,21,89,887. The daily positivity rate stood at 1.28 per cent.

The number of active cases stood at 1,64,522 accounting for 0.38 per cent of the total number of cases. The active cases reported a drop of 16,553 in the last 24 hours. However, the mortality rate stood at 1.20 per cent recorded 278 fatalities taking the cumulative death toll to 5,12,622.

The BA.2 variant of the Omicron coronavirus strain is not more severe than the original, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday. Based on a sample of people from various countries, “we are not seeing a difference in the severity of BA.1 compared to BA.2,” Maria Van Kerkhove, a senior WHO official, said in an online question and answer session.

With the administration of 33.84 lakh vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 176.19 crores according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

More than 172.68 crores (1,72,68,90,400) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through Govt. of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category, the health ministry stated. More than 10.98 Cr (10,98,57,832) balance and unutilized COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered, it added.