The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.59% and the weekly positivity rate was 0.66%, according to the health ministry.
Among the 2,858 Covid-19 cases, Delhi accounts for the most number of Covid cases at 899 with a positivity rate of 3.34%. On the other hand, Maharashtra recorded 263 new Covid infections and two pandemic-related deaths. The state's Covid-19 caseload rose to 78,80,337 and death toll reached 1,47,853.
The cumulative number of Covid vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 191 crore, the Union Health Ministry added. More than 13 lakh vaccine doses have been administered till 7 pm on Friday.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has notified that it cannot be said that the acute phase of Covid-19 has disappeared. The UN Health agency said this because several countries have not been able to end the emergency phase of the pandemic.
We live in an interconnected world. And so while some countries may have been able to end the emergency phase of this pandemic, we don't see that in all countries worldwide. So we need to continue to fight this at a global level," WHO's Maria Van Kerkhove said.
Besides, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned during a press briefing this week that “the rising cases in more than 50 countries highlights the volatility of this virus".
Tedros said Covid-19 variants, including mutated versions of the highly infectious omicron, are driving a resurgence of COVID-19 in several countries, including South Africa, which was the first to identify omicron in November.