Pandemic on wane? 7-day average of daily Covid cases falls below 25k

NEW DELHI: The seven-day rolling average of daily Covid-19 cases in India has fallen below the 25,000 mark as the pandemic continues to recede in the country. For any given day, the seven-day rolling average of daily cases is the average of the number of infections detected over the last week, including that particular day. It provides a more reliable estimate of Covid trends by evening out the day-to-day variations.

So, while there have been daily variations with the case count rising on some days, the seven-day rolling average has consistently declined on all days in December so far, highlighting the overall falling trend in cases. The last time the average was below 25,000 was on July 10, when the Covid count in the country was steadily rising. The average fell below 25,000 on Wednesday.

On Thursday, India recorded 23,454 fresh cases, nearly 1,700 less than the tally on the previous day. At 337, the day’s death toll remained at nearly the same level as the past seven-eight days although it was the highest in the past five days.

Although the case count has fallen significantly in Maharashtra, the state continues to report a relatively high number of fatalities. On Thursday, it registered 89 deaths, accounting for more than a fourth of all fatalities from the virus. Delhi recorded a rise in deaths, with 37 on Thursday, the second highest in the country, followed by Bengal (32), UP (23), Kerala and Chhattisgarh (both 22).