Coronavirus pandemic: India reports 19,968 new cases with positivity rate at 1.68%; 673 deaths

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COVID-19 India News Updates: India recorded 19,968 new cases of the novel coronavirus, along with 673 deaths due to the infection in the past 24 hours. According to the data shared by the Union Health Ministry on Sunday (February 20), the country saw a total of 48,847 discharges in the last 24 hours, taking the total recovery rate at around 98.21 per cent and total recoveries data reached to 4,20,86,383.

The total active cases of COVID-19 in India have declined to 2,24,187 (0.52%) the ministry data showed today.

The total death toll in the country is now at 5,11,903. In India, the first death due to the COVID pandemic was reported in March 2020.

The daily positivity rate is at 1.68 per cent today. 

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According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 75,93,15,246 samples have been tested up to February 19 for COVID-19. Of these 11,87,766 samples were tested on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Delhi on Saturday (February 19) reported 635 fresh cases of coronavirus, and two deaths, according to data released by the city's health department. The positivity rate in the national capital was recorded at 1.12%. 

On Friday, Delhi reported 607 fresh COVID-19 cases and four deaths. With this, the national capital's case count increased to 18,55,409 and the death toll climbed to 26,097, the latest health bulletin stated. The number of COVID-19 tests conducted a day ago stood at 56,199, it said.

The number of daily cases in Delhi has been on the decline after touching the record high of 28,867 on January 13. The city had recorded a positivity rate of 30.6 per cent on January 14, the highest during the ongoing wave of the pandemic. It took just 10 days for daily cases to drop below the 10,000-mark.

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