The daily Covid-19 cases reported in the country has gone up further to 28,900 – the highest in 2021 so far – in the last 24 hours as five States, including Maharashtra and Punjab, witnessing a spurt in new cases. In comparison, the number of cases reported on Monday was 24,492.
According to a statement issued by the Health Ministry, these five States – comprising also of Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu – accounted for 71 per cent of cases reported since Tuesday morning with Maharashtra alone contributing to 61 per cent of the new cases. With this, the total active caseload in the country went up to 2,34,406, more than 2 per cent of total confirmed cases reported in the country since the beginning of the pandemic early last year. There is also a substantial increase in number of daily Covid-19 deaths reported. Tuesday’s 188 deaths took the total Covid-19 death toll to 1,59,044.
Meanwhile, States and Union Territories have carried out over 21 lakh vaccinations on Tuesday, taking the total inoculations to beyond 3.5 crore since it commenced on January 16.