India on Sunday recorded 18,166 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the infection tally in the country to 3,39,53,475 since the pandemic broke out in January last year.

The number of new cases was 7.97% fewer than than Saturday’s tally of 19,740.

The toll rose to 4,50,589 as 214 people died due to the infection in the last 24 hours. The tally of active cases stood at 2,30,971.

Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

India updates

  • Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday urged states and Union Territories to ensure strict enforcement of Covid-19 protocols during the festive season. In a meeting with officials of major states, Mandaviya also asked them to increase the pace of vaccination so that India could soon achieve the milestone of administering 100 crore doses.
  • As much as 70% of Tamil Nadu’s population has developed antibodies against the coronavirus infection, the latest sero survey conducted in the state has showed, NDTV reported. The presence of antibodies indicates they may have been exposed to the infection even if they hadn’t developed symptoms of the disease. Only 29% of the Tamil Nadu’s population had developed antibodies when the last sero survey was conducted in the state in April.
  • United States-based virologist Ian Lipki on Saturday said that there might be more variants of the Covid-19 infection, India Today reported. “India does not have that armour to open up and it’s difficult decision politically just like in the US, where vaccination rates are low in southern states,” he added. “The chronic burden we see is extraordinary.”

Global updates

  • The United States will accept the use of Covid-19 vaccines authorised by the country’s regulators or the World Health Organization for foreign travellers, Reuters reported, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • Singapore reported 3,703 new cases of the coronavirus on Saturday. This is the highest single-day tally since the pandemic broke out last year, Reuters reported.
  • The coronavirus has infected over 23.75 crore people and caused over 48.47 lakh deaths since the pandemic broke out in December 2019, according to Johns Hopkins University.