India on Tuesday recorded 9,121 new coronavirus cases, taking its tally to 1,09,25,710, the health ministry data showed. This was the fourth time this month when the daily infections fell below 10,000. Deaths rose by 81 to 1,55,813.
As many as 1,06,33,025 people have recovered from the infection, pushing the recovery rate to 97.32%. The active caseload went down to 1,36,872, which is 1.25% of the total positive cases.
A total of 87,20,527 healthcare and other frontline workers have been vaccinated so far. Of these, 4,35,527 received their inoculation on Monday.
India’s coronavirus tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16, reported PTI. It went past 60 lakh on September 28 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.
With Maharashtra once again seeing a steady rise in cases, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has announced that its jumbo Covid-19 care centres will remain open till March 31, India Today reported. The civic body said there has been a 10% to 12% rise in coronavirus cases in Mumbai.
Additional Municipal Commissioner in-charge of BMC’s Public Health Department Suresh Kakani said, “There has been a rise in cases over the last couple of days and seeing the rise we felt that if there is a further increase in numbers, then admitting people and treating them will be easier in the jumbo centres hence the call has been taken.”
Asked if new lockdown restrictions could be imposed again in Mumbai, the official told India Today, “If people cooperate with us then there would not be any need for fresh lockdown or restrictions...But we have said from day one that if the numbers rise with the resumption of local trains we will have to put in strict measures as well.”
The World Health Organization on Monday approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for emergency use, paving way for its distribution in developing countries through the COVAX programme. The global health agency cleared the vaccines manufactured by the Serum Institute of India and South Korean company SK Biopharmaceuticals.
Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 10.91 crore people and killed over 24.07 lakh, according to John Hopkins University. Over 6.13 crore people have recovered from the infection in the world.
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