COVID-19: Spike in Daily Cases in India at Record High of Over 1.31 lakh; 780 Deaths

New Delhi:  India registered a record single-day spike of 1,31,968 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, pushing its infection tally to 1,30,60,542, while the death toll increased to 1,67,642 with 780 more fatalities in a day, highest since October 18, the Union Health Ministry data showed.

Registering a steady increase for the 30th day in a row, the number of active COVID-19 cases increased to 9,79,608, which is 7.5% of the total infections, according to the data updated at 8 a.m.

The recovery rate in the country has further dropped to 91.22%, it added.

The active COVID-19 caseload in the country was recorded at its lowest of 1,35,926 on February 12, comprising 1.25% of the total infections.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,19,13,292, while the case fatality rate has dropped to 1.28%, the data stated.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28 last year, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 25,40,41,584 samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the country so far, including 13,64,205 on Thursday.

The 780 new fatalities include 376 from Maharashtra, 94 from Chhattisgarh, 56 from Punjab, 39 from Uttar Pradesh, 36 from Karnataka, 35 from Gujarat, 27 from Madhya Pradesh, 24 from Delhi, 19 from Tamil Nadu, 18 from Kerala and 11 from Haryana.

A total of 1,67,642 deaths due to the disease have been reported so far in the country. The figure includes 57,028 fatalities from Maharashtra, 12,840 from Tamil Nadu, 12,767 from Karnataka, 11,157 from Delhi, 10,370 from West Bengal, 9,003 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,334 from Punjab and 7,268 from Andhra Pradesh.

The Union Health Ministry stressed that more than 70% of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

Shortage hits vaccination drive in Mumbai

Mumbai:  Several vaccination centres across Mumbai, including a jumbo COVID-19 facility in business district BKC, suspended inoculation on Friday morning due to a shortage of doses, BMC sources said.

The remaining centres are likely to suspend the vaccination drive by afternoon or evening as the available stock is fast depleting, according to the sources.

Meanwhile, Mumbai is expected to get up to 1.80 lakh fresh doses of COVID-19 vaccines on Friday, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) executive health officer Mangala Gomare told PTI.

According to the sources, as many as 75 of the 120 centres, mainly at private hospitals, suspended vaccination on Friday morning due to unavailability of doses, while some other centres suspended the drive within a few hours after the stock got over.

The civic body of Mumbai had claimed it had suspended vaccination at 25 centres in private hospitals on Thursday due to unavailability of doses.