India on Sunday reported a record-breaking 3,49,691 new cases in a day, taking the total number of infections to 1,69,60,172 since the pandemic broke out in January 2020. This is the highest ever single-day rise in cases reported by any country so far, and the fourth consecutive day when the country has set such a grim global record.
For the first time, 2,767 deaths were registered. The toll is now 1,92,311, while there are 26,82,751 active cases. India’s mortality rate stood at 1.14% and recovery at 83.49%.
So far, 14,09,16,417 beneficiaries have been vaccinated with 25,36,612 getting the vaccines on Saturday alone. Eight states account for 58.83% of the cumulative doses given so far in the country, the Union health ministry said.
Ten States – Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Rajasthan report 74.53% of the new Covid-19 cases, according to the Union health ministry. Maharashtra reported the highest daily new cases at 67,160. It was followed by Uttar Pradesh with 37,944 while Karnataka reported 29,438 new cases.
Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Kerala together account for 69.94% of the country’s total active cases.
India has now recorded more than 2 lakh cases for more than 10 days. India first hit the grim milestone of more than 3 lakh cases on Thursday, when it logged 3.14 lakh infections in a day.
The country’s healthcare infrastructure is reeling under the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic as thousands of new coronavirus cases emerge every day. This has led to an acute shortage of oxygen, beds and timely medical care across several states.
Social media is awash with desperate calls for ambulances, ICU beds and medicines. Even hospitals are taking to Twitter to plead with the government to replenish their oxygen supplies and threatening to stop admissions of new patients.
Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 14.6 crore people and killed over 30.96 lakh since the pandemic broke out in December 2019, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 8.41 crore people have recovered from the infection.
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