India on Sunday registered 25,320 new coronavirus cases, taking the overall count to 1,13,59,048, data from the Union health ministry showed. This is the highest single-day rise in infections in nearly three months.

The country’s toll rose to 1,58,604, with 158 deaths reported in 24 hours. Active cases went up by 8,522 to 2,10,544. The number of recoveries reached 1,09,89,897.

As many as 15,19,952 people were vaccinated on Saturday, taking the tally of total inoculation up to 2,97,38,409, government data showed.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray instructed hotels and restaurants to ensure they strictly follow coronavirus protocols on their premises, warning them to not force the state to enforce drastic measures like a lockdown, PTI reported.

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“Consider this as the last warning,” he said. “Follow all the rules. Everyone has to realise there is a difference between self-discipline and restrictions.”

Maharashtra on Saturday logged over 15,000 cases for the second consecutive day, registering 15,602 fresh infections and 88 deaths. The state’s tally climbed to 22,97,793 and the toll increased to 52,811.

The United States International Development Finance Corporation has announced it will financially assist Hyderabad-based Biological E to produce at least 1 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines by the end of 2022, the Hindustan Times reported. The move is part of DFC’s Global Health and Prosperity Initiative, under which it is increasing manufacturing, production and distribution capacity for vaccines.

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Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said there was emerging evidence to suggest that exposure to ambient air pollutants, especially PM2.5 and NO2, contribute to the spread and virulence of the coronavirus, The Hindu reported.

“Furthermore, ambient air pollution is a known risk factor for multiple adverse health outcomes, including chronic cardio-respiratory morbidities, and the presence of said morbidities renders the affected population more vulnerable to Covid-19,” Vardhan said, while inaugurating the new green campus of Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Institute for Research in Environmental Health in Bhopal.

Global updates

  1. Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 11.94 crore people and killed over 26.47 lakh, according to the John Hopkins University. Over 6.76 crore people have recovered from the infection in the world.  
  2. More than 400 workers at a Tesla plant in California tested positive for the coronavirus between May and December, according to public health data released by a transparency website, Plain Sight, The New York Times reported. The company’s Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk had downplayed the severity of the coronavirus crisis and reopened the plant in May, in defiance of guidelines issued by local public health officials.
  3. Jordan’s health minister stepped down Saturday after at least seven patients in a hospital Covid-19 ward died due to a shortage of oxygen supplies, AP reported.