New Delhi: India recorded 12,751 new Covid 19 cases and 42 deaths due to the infection in the past 24 hours. According to the data shared by the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday (August 9), the total recovery rate reached around 98.51 per cent and total recoveries data reached to 4,35,16,071. A decrease of 3,703 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The active cases comprise 0.31 per cent of the total infections, the ministry said.

On the Covid-19 vaccination front, more than 206.88 crores of Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. Here, as many as 31,95,034 doses have been administered in the last 24 hours.

In June this year, the Union Health Ministry advocated for increased vaccination coverage for children and the elderly population, following a rise in cases from several parts of the country.

States were directed to accelerate vaccination coverage, especially of the 60-plus years elderly population, and that of the second dose in the 12-17 years population groups.

“States are to also ensure that vaccines that expire first are administered first, preventing any wastage of resources,” the Ministry said.

In addition, the Ministry had also advised States to follow the ‘Operational Guidelines for Revised Surveillance Strategy in context of COVID-19’ issued by the Centre on June 9. The revised surveillance guidelines call for sewage and wastewater surveillance, which may provide early warnings on a potential local surge of COVID-19, the Ministry said in its communication to the States.