India’s daily COVID death toll falls below 500

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - India’s daily COVID-19 death toll fell below 500 on Monday, according to Health Ministry data.

According to the ministry, 499 deaths were registered in the last 24 hours, taking the country’s death toll to 414,108.

A total of 38,164 new cases were also registered across the country, taking the number of confirmed infections to 31.1 million.

"India's active caseload currently stands at 421,665. Active cases constitute 1.35% of total cases," said a ministry statement.

According to the statistics, the capital New Delhi, which was the epicenter of the second wave of the pandemic in the country, registered zero deaths Sunday.

"No death has been reported in [New] Delhi due to COVID in the last 24 hours," Delhi's Health Minister Satyendar Jain wrote on Twitter, adding that 51 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours.

When New Delhi recorded an unprecedented increase in cases in May, there was an acute shortage of beds and medical oxygen. Several patients died as hospitals ran out of oxygen supplies.

While cases in New Delhi and most parts of the country are now declining, health experts have warned, however, that people not following COVID-19 guidelines is likely to trigger a spike in infections.

In its ongoing vaccination drive, India has administered more than 400 million vaccine doses so far. Many Indian cities, however, are reporting shortages of vaccine supplies.