DW BUREAU / Chandigarh Punjab on Wednesday reported 2,281 fresh cases of the novel coronavirus, raising the tally to 5,71,970, according to a medical bulletin. With 99 more fatalities, the toll from COVID-19 climbed to 14,748 in the state, the bulletin said. In the last 24 hours, nine new deaths were reported from Fazilka, eight each from Patiala and Mohali and seven each from Amritsar, Ferozepur, Sangrur and Moga. The number of active cases dropped to 31,133 from 33,444 on Tuesday. Ludhiana reported 285 new cases, followed by 224 in Jalandhar, 180 in Bathinda and 153 in Mohali. The state's Covid positivity rate marginally dropped to 3.33 from 3.69 per cent the day before. With 4,426 recoveries from the infection, the recovery count reached 5,26,089, according to the bulletin. There are 300 critical Covid patients who are on ventilator support, 791 other critical patients and 3,887 are on oxygen support, the bulletin said. A total of 93,93,735 samples have been collected for COVID-19 testing so far in the state, it said. Meanwhile, Chandigarh registered 134 cases, taking the infection tally to 60,288, according to the medical bulletin. Three more people succumbed to COVID-19 in the Union Territory, taking the toll to 761. The number of active cases declined to 1,251 from 1,481 on Tuesday, the bulletin said. With 361 patients being discharged after they recovered from the infection, the number of recoveries reached 58,276, it said. A total of 5,13,554 samples have been taken for testing so far and 4,52,047 of them tested negative while reports of 34 samples are awaited, according to the bulletin. India added 1,32,788 new coronavirus infections taking the country's tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,83,07,832, while the daily positivity rate has further dropped to 6.57 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,35,102 with 3,207 fresh deaths. The active cases were recorded below 20 lakh for the second consecutive day, the data updated at 8 am showed. Also, 20,19,773 tests were conducted on Tuesday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 35,00,57,330, while the daily positivity was recorded at 6.57 per cent. It has been less than 10 per cent for nine consecutive days, the ministry said. (editor@dailyworld.in)