Lowest Covid cases in 50 days as deaths dip below 3K

India reported 1,27,510 new infections in 24 hours -- its lowest in 50 days, as 2,795 more succumbed to the pandemic, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry said on Tuesday.

This is the least number of fresh infection reported after April 8, when India recorded 1,31,968 cases while on April 7, India witnessed 1,26,789 fresh cases.

Fatalities also dropped below the 3,000-mark for the first time since April 26, when the country witnessed 2,771 deaths.

Most Metro cities are still fighting huge waves, though Mumbai and Delhi have arrested the surge.

For the first time in 47 days Delhi on Saturday reported less than 100 cases. Andhra Pradesh on Sunday breached the 15-lakh mark in recoveries.

India's overall tally of Covid-19 cases now stands at 2,81,75,044 with 18,95,520 active cases and 3,31,895 deaths so far.

According to the Health Ministry, a total of 2,55,287 people have been discharged in the last 24 hours, taking the total discharge to 2,59,47,629 in Covid cases till date.

The Health Ministry said that a total of 21,60,46,638 people have been vaccinated so far in the country, including 27,80,058 who were administered vaccines in the last 24 hours.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 34,67,92,257 samples have been tested up to May 31 for Covid-19. Of these 19,25,374 samples were tested on Monday.

In the last three weeks, India has recorded over 75,000 deaths. On May 24, India crossed a grim milestone of three-lakh deaths due to the coronavirus infections, thus becoming world's third country after the US and Brazil to cross three-lakh deaths.

India registered record fatalities due to Covid on May 21 with 4,529 deaths -- the highest from Covid infection in any country in a day since the coronavirus outbreak was reported in China's Wuhan in December 2019.

It surpassed 4,468 deaths in the US on January 12, and earlier 4,211 in Brazil on April 6.

After battling a brutal second wave for weeks, fresh Covid cases came down below the three lakh-mark for the first time on May 17 after touching record high of 4,14,188 on May 7.