India on Friday registered 3,86,452 coronavirus cases, pushing the overall count of infections to 1,87,62,976 since the pandemic first broke out in India in January 2020. This is the highest ever single-day rise in cases reported by any country so far, and the ninth consecutive day when India has recorded more than 3 lakh cases.
With 3,498 deaths, the toll climbed to 2,08,330. There are 31,70,228 active cases and the recovery tally stood at 1,53,84,418.
India has so far administered 15,22,45,179 coronavirus doses. As many as 22,24,548 shots were given on Thursday alone.
India will begin its third phase of immunisation from Saturday, covering all those above 18 years of age. Over 90 lakh people registered for the third phase on Thursday, the second day after registrations opened. So far, more than 2.28 crore people have registered themselves for getting vaccinated.
Bharat Biotech on Thursday announced that its Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin, will now cost Rs 400 per dose for state governments. It was priced at Rs 600 per shot earlier for states and the Centre will buy it at Rs 150 per dose.
This came a day after India’s other vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India reduced the price of its coronavirus vaccine, Covishield, shot from Rs 400 to Rs 300 per dose.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday that his government has prepared a plan to vaccinate all those above 18 years in the next three months. Earlier in the day, the Delhi government also said it has run out of Covid-19 vaccines and was awaiting supplies from drug manufacturers.
The country’s healthcare infrastructure is reeling under the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic as lakhs 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, intensive care unit beds and medicines. Many hospitals have also taken to Twitter or going to court to plead with the government to replenish their oxygen supplies and warning that they will need to stop admissions of new patients.
Amid this, the Madras High Court wondered what the Narendra Modi-led government has been doing for the last 14 months as citizens scramble to source oxygen, medicine and hospital beds for patients during the devastating second wave of the pandemic.
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