New Delhi [India], March 24 (ANI): The national capital recorded 152 new cases of Covid-19 infection in the last 24 hours, the Delhi Health Department said on Friday.

While the total number of active cases reached 424, the positivity rate jumped to 6.66 per cent.

According to a bulletin issued by the department on Friday, 74 Covid patients recovered from the virus in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of recoveries to 19,81,492.

Also, with no death from Covid reported over the last 24 hours, the overall toll in the national capital remained at 26,524.

Earlier on Thursday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that the country recorded 1,300 new Covid cases, the highest in the last 140 days.

Taking note of it, he said that a mock drill will be done soon in all the states and Union Territories to assess their preparedness to meet the twin threats, of influenza and Covid-19 cases, to public health.

Addressing a press conference in the national capital on Thursday, Bhushan said, "India on Thursday recorded 1,300 new Covid cases, the highest in the last 140 days. We will get a fresh round of mock drills done in all states and UTs in order to assess their individual Covid preparedness."Earlier, on December 27, a mock drill was conducted at hospitals across the country to test their Covid preparedness.

The Union Health secretary informed further that India, for now, was accounting for just 1 per cent of the global Covid cases.

"Only about 1 per cent of the global Covid cases are being reported in India as of now. The overall active cases currently stand at 7,600 while 966 cases, on average, are being reported on a daily basis. In the second week of February, we recorded only about 108 daily cases on average. But the average daily count has since gone up to 966," the Union Health secretary said.

According to reports, the eight states where the maximum number of Covid cases are being reported currently are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.

"I had personally written to these states on March 16 on the steps that need to be taken," Bhushan added.

As is the case with any virus, SARS-COV-2 has been acquiring new mutations through recombination.

"There has been no evidence yet of an increase in hospitalisation. However, the administration of precautionary doses should be increased. Enhanced laboratory surveillance and testing of all severe acute respiratory (SARI) cases need to be done," he said.

He added that the United States, Russia, China South Korea and France are driving the global Covid surge currently. (ANI)