India's active Covid tally hits 7,400; 269 new cases, 9 deaths in 24 hours

India's active Covid-19 caseload has climbed to 7,400, following a significant rise in new infections and nine reported fatalities across the country in the past 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry on Saturday. Karnataka recorded the highest single-day spike with 132 new active cases, signalling a notable surge in the southern state. Gujarat followed with 79 new cases, and Kerala reported 54 new infections, contributing to the overall increase in the national tally. Other states like Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, and Haryana also saw a slight uptick in their active case numbers.

Of the nine deaths reported in the last 24 hours, Maharashtra accounted for four, Kerala for three, and one each was reported in Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. The total number of fatalities in the country as of January 1, 2025, now stands at 87. While several states are witnessing an increase in cases, some regions like Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Ladakh, Mizoram, Punjab, and West Bengal reported no new Covid-19 cases during this period, offering a contrasting picture of the virus's spread.

Kerala continues to bear the largest active Covid-19 burden, with its tally reaching 2,109, followed by Gujarat at 1,437 active cases, and Delhi with 672. Other states with significant active caseloads include Maharashtra (613), Karnataka (527), Uttar Pradesh (248), Tamil Nadu (232), Rajasthan (180), and Andhra Pradesh (102). In a positive development, 991 individuals successfully recovered from the infection in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 11,967 so far across the nation.