1. India reported a record 1,03,558 new coronavirus cases on Monday, the country’s overall count rose to 1,25,89,067. The toll went up to 1,65,101, as 478 fatalities were reported. The active cases rose for the 26th straight day to 7,41,830, while more than 7.91 crore vaccines have so far been administered. 
  2. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to lower vaccination age amid the surge in coronavirus cases. Kejriwal asked the prime minister to lift all age-related restrictions, while Thackeray sought to lower the age group eligible for vaccination to 25 years.
  3. Amid the rise in infections, the Aam Aadmi Party government said coronavirus vaccination centres in Delhi will remain operational for 24 hours from Tuesday. The Delhi government also issued an order to augment the number of beds reserved for coronavirus patients at its hospitals. The hospitals include Lok Nayak Hospital, where beds are to be increased from 300 to 1,000. At Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, the number of reserved beds is to be increased from 50 to 100, while at GTB Hospital it is to be hiked to 500.
  4. Delhi recorded 3,548 new coronavirus cases on Monday, according to the bulletin issued by the Delhi health department. This is the fourth straight day when over 3,000 cases have been reported, taking the city’s tally to 6,79,962. The city now has 6,79,962 total cases. Maharashtra, one of the worst-hit states, meanwhile, reported 47,288 new cases. The state’s total count jumped to 30,57,885. Of these, Mumbai accounts for 9,857 infections.
  5. Pharmaceutical firm Zydus Cadila said it has sought the drugs controller’s approval for use of its viral hepatitis drug after its phase three clinical trials showed promising results in treating Covid-19 patients.
  6. Around 70 students have tested positive at the Indian Institute of Technology in Jodhpur, ANI reported. The official said that 55-60 of the cases were still active ones. The students have been quarantined and made to stay in one of the hostels on campus, according to PTI. They had returned to the institute last week to attend their practical classes.
  7. A day after testing positive for coronavirus, actor Akshay Kumar tweeted that he has been hospitalised as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, 45 crew members of the film Ram Setu, for which Kumar was shooting, have also tested positive for the virus, according to The Indian Express.
  8. All India Institute of Medical Sciences chief Randeep Guleria said that lack of Covid-appropriate behaviour was the primary reason behind the recent surge in cases. He suggested aggressive testing, along with vaccination and crowd control as measures to contain the sharp increase in cases. 
  9. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Director General Shekhar Mande said that Maharashtra was facing a rapid spread in the double mutated strain of the virus, reported The Indian Express. He added that a third wave cannot be ruled out in the state. 
  10. Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 13.12 crore people and killed 28,52,196, according to the Johns Hopkins University. More than 7.43 crore people have recovered from the infection.