India logs 797 new Covid cases, highest in 225 days; Manipur records first case of new variant

India has logged 797 new cases of COVID-19, the highest in 225 days, while the number of active cases of the infection has been recorded at 4,091, the health ministry said on Friday.Five new fatalities due to Covid-- two from Kerala and one each from Maharashtra, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu -- have been reported in 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am.Manipur reported its first case of COVID-19 new sub-variant. The infected individual, who hails from Paomata in Senapati district, had travelled from Delhi to Dimapur by air and subsequently from Dimapur to Senapati by road, reported news agency ANI.Hotels, fine-dining restaurants, and cafes in Delhi are preparing to celebrate the new year with precautionary measures in place after the national capital reported its first case of the new JN.1 Covid sub-variant on Wednesday, December 27. These establishments aim to provide a safe and enjoyable experience with sanitation and hygiene.The country had recorded 865 new cases on May 19. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, but the cases have again gone up after the emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions.The daily numbers were in lakhs at the peak of the pandemic, which began in early 2020 and has seen more than 4.5 crore people getting infected and over 5.3 lakh deaths in about four years since then across the country.The number of people who have recuperated from the disease stands at over 4.4 crore with a national recovery rate of 98.81 per cent, according to the ministry's website.According to the website, 220.67 crore doses of Covid vaccines have so far been administered in the country.With inputs from agencies.