NEW DELHI, India: India has reported a continuing decline in Covid infections, including a staggering 31 percent drop in the past week.

As of Sunday, India reported 80,834 new Covid cases, the lowest in 73 days. This compares to 414,188 new cases on May 8.

There were 630,666 in the past week, which is a 31 percent drop over the prior week.

India has reported 29,359,155 Covid cases throughout the country and 370,854 deaths. As a comparison, the United States has witnessed 599,769 fatalities and 33,462,030 infections.

This past Sunday, India reported 3,303 deaths, compared to 4,002 the day before.

India has suffered the third highest number of deaths, behind Brazil, which has 486,358 dead. Brazil has reported 17,376,998 Covid infections nationwide.

To date, India has only vaccinated 15 percent of its population with a first dose, with 3.5 percent being fully vaccinated.

In an effort to encourage the public to become vaccinated, Indian businesses are offering a wide variety of incentives, including free alcohol, food, gold nose pins and hand blenders.

McDonald’s in India is offering 20 percent discount vouchers to those who become vaccinated.

Also, the Delhi government has offered a tax rebate for early filing of property taxes of vaccinated families.

And Uber has begun a $100 million program that includes free rides to and from vaccination centers across 35 Indian cities.