A health professional collects sample for covid-19 test in Delhi, Image credit: PTI
The Union Health Ministry has informed that the eight states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh contributed to 81.42 per cent of the infections reported in the last 24 hours. The ten districts of Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur, Thane, Nashik, Bengaluru Urban, Aurangabad, Delhi, Ahmednagar and Nanded accounts for about 50 per cent of the total active caseload in the country. There has been a net rise of 44,213 active cases, with the tally of active caseload increasing to 6,58,909.
While Maharashtra leads with the maximum increase in the number of active cases with a nine-fold jump in the last two months, Punjab has reported the maximum increase in percentage terms. While Maharashtra alone accounts for 59.36 per cent of the total active caseload, the five states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chattisgarh, Kerala, and Punjab cumulatively account for 77.3 per cent of the total active caseload.
On Saturday, India recorded 89,129 new covid-19 cases, the highest rise in over six months, taking the nationwide tally of infections to over 1.23 crores. 714 fatalities were recorded, increasing the covid death toll to 1,64,110. Maharashtra recorded the highest number of new cases at 47,913, followed by Karnataka with 4991 and Chattisgarh with 4174. Maharashtra also recorded the largest number of deaths, with 481 deaths, followed by Punjab with 57.
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba had chaired a high-level review meeting on Friday with chief secretaries, director-general of police and health secretaries of all states and told 11 states and union territories of 'grave concern' to take immediate and effective measures to contain active cases and deaths through enhanced testing, strict containment, prompt contact tracing and enforcement of COVID-19 protocol.
However, on a positive note, the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered crossed 7,30,54,295 as of 7 AM on Saturday.