The elderly and those with underlying health conditions remain susceptible to infection. Doctors continue to recommend adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures, including receiving booster shots, for these vulnerable groups New Delhi: India registered 60 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, marking a slight increase in active cases from 1,474 to 1,482, according to data from the health ministry on Wednesday. There has been a consistent decline in cases observed over recent months. Total reported cases, since the pandemic hit in early 2020, has surpassed 4.50 crore to date. while death toll stands at 531,917. Scientists believe that the COVID-19 virus has become largely inactive, attributing this to its mild nature and the wide immunity developed across the population due to widespread infection. They emphasize, however, the importance of monitoring for any emergent variants with severe symptoms. The elderly and those with underlying health conditions remain susceptible to infection. Doctors continue to recommend adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures, including receiving booster shots, for these vulnerable groups. Experts say that India's population has developed "hybrid immunity" due to both natural infection and vaccination. They assure that the current variants of the virus, being mild, are unlikely to cause severe illness or hospitalizations. Recoveries from the virus have reached around 4.44 crore, with 52 recoveries reported in the past 24 hours, bringing the country's recovery rate to 98.81%. A total of 34,967 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, pushing the total number of tests to 92.93 crore. Under the nationwide vaccination campaign, over 220.67 crore doses have been administered, with approximately 164 doses given in the last 24 hours.