India on Saturday reported 62,258 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours, pushing its overall count to 1,19,08,910. This is the highest one-day rise since October 16, according to PTI. As many as 1,12,95,023 have recovered from the disease, and there are 4,52,647 active cases.

With 291 more deaths, the country’s toll rose to 1,61,240.

A total of 5,81,09,773 beneficiaries have been vaccinated under India’s countrywide inoculation programme that began in January. Of these, 26,05,333 people were vaccinated on Friday alone.

Ministry of Health

Maharashtra continued to lead the surge, reporting the highest daily new cases at 36,902. This was followed by Punjab with 3,122 infections, while Chhattisgarh reported 2,665 new cases, data from the health ministry showed.

Ministry of Health

Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab cumulatively account for 73% of the total 4,52,647 active cases in the country. The present active caseload constitutes 3.8% of India’s total positive cases, the health ministry said.

Ministry of Health

Five states account for 75.6% of the new deaths reported on Saturday. Maharashtra saw the maximum of these at 112, followed by Punjab with 59 deaths in 24 hours.

Ministry of Health

The Centre has sent two high-level multi-disciplinary teams to Chandigarh and Chhattisgarh amid a surge in coronavirus cases there. On Wednesday, the health ministry had said the two states showed a surge in Covid-19 cases along with Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

In Maharashtra, the state with the most number of coronavirus cases in India, a night curfew will be imposed from Sunday amid a sharp surge. Malls have been ordered to remain shut from 8 pm to 7 am.

Meanwhile, India told the United Nations that it has supplied more vaccines globally than it had used for vaccinating its own people, NDTV reported. The remarks were made by India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador K Nagaraj Naidu at the General Assembly’s informal meeting on Friday.

Naidu told the global body that India had not only be working toward vaccinating 300 million of its own frontline workers over the next six months, but in the process, had also supplied vaccines to over 70 countries. “In fact, as of today we have supplied more vaccines globally than have vaccinated our own people,” the diplomat added.

Global updates

  1. Globally, Covid-19 has infected 12,60,26,603 people and killed 27,66,824. As many as 7,14,63,178 have recovered from the disease, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker.
  2. The United States government will distribute 11 million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccines next week, Reuters reported, quoting the White House. 
  3. Germany’s third wave of the coronavirus may be the worst so far and 1,00,000 new daily infections is not out of the question, the head of the Robert Koch Institute for infectious disease said on Friday, reported Reuters.
  4. France has accused the United Kingdom of “blackmail” over its handling of coronavirus vaccine exports, amid continuing tensions over supply chains, BBC reported. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the European Union “shouldn’t be paying the price” for the UK’s vaccination policy.