India recorded 93,249 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day spike since mid-September 2020, taking the total tally to 1.24 crore cases on Sunday. Today's surge is the highest since September 19 when 93,337 cases were reported.
The country has been recording a constant spike in cases for over three weeks. The daily cases peaked on September 16, 2020, with 97,894 people testing positive for the virus in a single day.
The country has been registering a steady rise in covid cases for the 25th day in a row. The active cases have now increased to 6,91,597 comprising 5.54 per cent of the total infections, while a total of 1,16,29,289 patients recovered in the last 24 hours with the recovery rate reported being 93.14 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry reports. The active caseload was the lowest at 1,35,926 on February 12 and comprised 1.25 per cent of the total infections. Meanwhile, the total death toll rose to 1,64,623 on Sunday with 513 new fatalities and the fatality rate was reported 1.32 per cent.
A total of 11,66,716 samples tested for Covid-19 as of Saturday taking the total sample tests so far 24,81,25,908.
The Centre has advised high-burden states and union territories to take stringent measures for containment of the surge. Eight states account for 81.42 per cent of the infections recorded in the last 24 hours. These eight states are Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Haryana are the states with grave concern. 60% of the daily cases are being registered from Maharashtra alone, showing a nine-fold hike in the last 2 months, reaching 49,447 Covid-19 cases and 277 deaths on Saturday. Eight of the ten districts with the highest number of coronavirus cases are in Maharashtra. While Delhi has reported more than 3,500 coronavirus cases for the 2nd consecutive day on Saturday. The positivity rate in the national capital has risen to 4.48 per cent from 4.11 per cent the day before, according to the health department.
India is under the threat of a second coronavirus surge that has prompted many states to reinforce various steps to curb the spread of the infection, including the closure of educational institutions and restrictions on gatherings for marriages and other family functions. While the Centre has allowed inoculation of people above 45 years of age.
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So far, 7,59,79,651 doses of the corona vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on January 16 after the approval for Covishield and Covaxin. On April 1, the third phase of the vaccination drive began under which anyone 45 years or older are allowed to get a jab.