India recorded 62,714 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours in its sharpest one-day spike in nearly five months, the health ministry data showed today.
The fresh infections have taken the total Covid tally in the country to 1.19 crore as India registers a steady increase in cases for the 18th day in a row.
The last recorded biggest spike was registered on October 16 when 63,371 cases were reported. With 312 deaths, the highest surge in nearly three months, the total number of fatalities due to the deadly disease stands at 1,61,552.
Active coronavirus cases in the country rose by 33,663 taking the total to 4,86,310. Over 1.13 crore people have recovered from the highly infectious disease that has affected millions across the world.
The recovery rate has further dropped to 94.58 per cent, the data said. The fatality rate stood at 1.35 per cent.
Several strict steps have been taken to battle the sudden spike with Maharashtra enforcing a night curfew from today as the state struggles with its biggest surge in coronavirus infections since the beginning of the pandemic. The state recorded nearly 36,000 cases in the last 24 hours.
Maharashtra has also banned all kinds of public gatherings including political and religious ones amid the spike. Restaurants, gardens and malls will remain shut between 8 pm and 7 am from today, the state government said in an order. People will not be allowed to visit beaches from 8 pm to 7 am and drama theatres have also been shut since Saturday night.
Maharashtra is followed by Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Gujarat for recording highest cases in the last 24 hours. Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are the most affected states after Maharashtra.
Over 6 crore people have been vaccinated so far in the country with over 2.5 lakh doses administered in the last 24 hours.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 24,09,50,842 samples have been tested up till Saturday with 11,81,289 samples being tested in the last day.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Friday said India will widen its coronavirus vaccination campaign in the "near future" to include more people, instead of restricting it to those above age 45. He said both Covaxin and Covishield are completely safe and immunogenic and as of now, there are no concerns about the safety of these vaccines being used in the country.
India told the UN General Assembly that it has supplied more COVID-19 vaccines globally than it has vaccinated its own people. The renewed jump in cases has prompted India to put the brakes on export of vaccines.
Over 3 crore people have been affected in the US, the hardest-hit country due to the pandemic. India is behind US. Global coronavirus infections have soared past 12.67 crore.
Source: NDTV
BDST: 1439 HRS, MAR 28, 2021
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