PremiumMaharashtra continues to be the biggest contributor as the state saw 47,288 new Covid-19 cases and 155 deaths in the last 24 hours. At present, the fatality rate in the state stands at 1.83%
As many as 96,982 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative caseload to 1,26,86,049, said the Union health ministry on Tuesday morning.
This marks a slight decline in new infections but is still highest in six months.
Twelve states -- Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala -- are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new cases.
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Among these, Maharashtra continues to be the biggest contributor as the state saw 47,288 new Covid-19 cases and 155 deaths in the last 24 hours. At present, the fatality rate in the state stands at 1.83%.
In addition to this, 446 more people succumbed to the disease across the country in the same duration, taking the death toll to 1,65,547.
The fatality count has also reduced as compared to Monday, when it stood at 513. The number had climbed up to 714 on Saturday, the highest in nearly six months.
A total of 50,143 more people have recuperated from the disease. The total number of recoveries now stands at 1,17,32,279.
As a result, the number of active cases has reached 7,88,223, inching close to the eight-lakh mark again. There were 7,41,830 active cases in the country on Monday, breaching the seven-lakh count.
As the second wave rages, India has added over one lakh cases to the active tally in three days, the shortest duration so far.
Containment measures
In view of the exponential surge in the last month, the Centre has rushed 50 high-level public health teams to Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Punjab for Covid-19 control and containment measures.
"The teams are being rushed to 30 districts of Maharashtra, 11 districts of Chhattisgarh and nine districts of Punjab to assist the State Health Department and local authorities in Covid-19 surveillance, control and containment measures," a health ministry statement said.
The two-member high-level team consists of a clinician/epidemiologist and a public health expert.
Three senior officers from the central government have been appointed as nodal officers for the states.
Vaccinations in India
The country has administered 8,31,10,926 total anti-Covid shots so far.
The cumulative number of vaccinations crossed the eight-crore mark on Monday.
Meanwhile, the health ministry said on Monday that on-site registration for healthcare workers (HCWs) and frontline workers (FLWs) will now only be done at government coronavirus vaccination centers.
These workers will also need to produce original photo identity cards and employment certificates.
The move came after the central government discovered cases where ineligible beneficiaries were getting vaccinated in the priority group category.
The inoculation drive in India was rolled out on 16 January with HCWs getting inoculated and the vaccination of the FLWs started on 2 February.
The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced on 1 March for those who are above 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions.
India extended the drive to include everybody aged 45 last week.
