Record 20.61 lakh COVID tests done in a day in India; daily positivity rate dips at 12.59%: Govt

New Delhi, May 21: More than 20.61 lakh tests for detection of COVID-19 were conducted in a span of 24 hours in the country, the highest-ever tests done in a single day, while the daily positivity rate has declined to 12.59 per cent, the Union health ministry said on Friday.

India's COVID-19 daily recoveries continued to outnumber the daily new cases for the eighth consecutive day, with 3,57,295 patients recuperating in a span of 24 hours.

The cumulative recoveries have reached 2,27,12,735 in the country, it said.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 32,44,17,870 samples have been tested for the novel coronavirus infection till May 20 with 20,61,683 samples being tested on Thursday.

Further, India has recorded less than 3 lakh new cases for five consecutive days now.

Ten states--Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Assam--reported 76.66 per cent of the 2,59,551 new cases registered in a day, the ministry said.

Tamil Nadu has reported the highest daily new cases at 35,579 followed by Kerala with 30,491 cases.

On the other hand, India's COVID-19 active caseload decreased to 30,27,925, with a net decline of 1,01,953 cases being recorded in the total active caseload.

The ministry said eight states namely Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, cumulatively account for 69.47 per cent of the country's total active cases.

Besides, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country exceeded 19 crore.

A total of 19,18,79,503 vaccine doses have been administered through 27,53,883 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 am on Friday.

These include 97,24,339 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose and 66,80,968 HCWs who have taken the second dose; 1,47,91,600 frontline workers (FLWs) who have received the first dose, 82,85,253 FLWs the second dose and 86,04,498 beneficiaries in the 18-44 years age group who received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Besides, 5,98,35,256 and 95,80,860 beneficiaries aged 45 to 60 years have been administered the first and second doses, respectively, while 5,62,45,627 and 1,81,31,102 beneficiaries aged above 60 years have taken the first and second doses, respectively, the ministry added. - PTI