India on Sunday reported 43,071 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking its tally since the pandemic broke out in January 2020 to 3,05,45,433. This was 2% fewer than Saturday’s count of 44,111 infections.
The toll rose by 955 to 4,02,005, data from the health ministry showed. India is the third country, after the United States and Brazil, to cross the grim milestone of 4 lakh deaths on Friday.
As many as 2,96,58,078 people have recovered from the infection so far, while India’s active caseload has declined to 4.85 lakh.
More than 63.87 lakh vaccine doses were administered to beneficiaries in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said in a statement. With this, the total doses administered in the country has exceeded 35.12 crore.
Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray said that over eight lakh vaccine doses were administered in Maharashtra till 9 pm on Saturday. He added that this was the highest single-day coverage so far.
Meanwhile, a scientist of a government panel tasked with modelling of infections warned that a possible third wave of the pandemic can hit its peak between October and November if citizens fail to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, PTI reported. Manindra Agarwal, however, said India may record half the daily cases reported during the devastating second surge of infections in April-May.
A Supreme Court judge in Brazil late on Friday opened a criminal investigation into President Jair Bolsonaro’s response to allegations of potential corruption in a health ministry contract to buy 20 million (2 crore) doses of the coronavirus vaccine developed by India’s Bharat Biotech.
Justice Rosa Weber gave the authorities 90 days to collect evidence in the case. Authorities will investigate whether Bolsonaro committed the crime of “prevarication” – delaying or refraining from action required as part of a public official’s duty for reasons of personal interest. Weber did not dismiss the possibility of prosecutors looking into other potential wrongdoing in the contract.
Globally, the coronavirus disease has infected over 18.3 crore people and killed more than 39.62 lakh since the pandemic broke out in December 2019, according to Johns Hopkins University.
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