Latest News LIVE Updates: As many as 74,383 new cases were recorded in a span of 24 hours on October 11.
India saw 68,020 new coronavirus cases in a span of 24 hours, the highest single-day rise so far this year, taking the country's COVID-19 tally to above 1.20 crore, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.
Registering a steady increase for the 19th day in a row, the active cases have increased to 5,21,808, which comprise 4.33 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 94.32 per cent, the data stated.
A total of 68,020 new cases were reported in a day, the highest recorded since October 11 last year, taking the country's tally of cases to 1,20,39,644, while the death count increased to 1,61,843 with 291 fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
As many as 74,383 new cases were recorded in a span of 24 hours on October 11.
The active caseload was at its lowest at 1,35,926 on February 12 comprising 1.25 per cent of the total infections.
Meanwhile, Amid a massive surge in coronavirus cases in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday asked officials to prepare a plan to impose a lockdown, saying people were not following safety rules.
The decision was taken at a meeting attended by Mr Thackeray, Health Minister Rajesh Tope, Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, doctors of the COVID-19 task force and other officials, an official statement said.
Here are the Latest News Live Updates:
Italy reports almost 13,000 new COVID-19 cases
Italy on Monday reported 12,916 new COVID-19 infections as over half of its 20 regions turned into red zones, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Health.
Morocco suspends air traffic with France, Spain over COVID-19
Morocco is suspending flights to France and Spain due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, the kingdom's government said in a statement on Monday.
Goa reports 128 new COVID-19 cases
Goa reported 128 new COVID-19 cases, 101 recoveries and two deaths in the last 24 hours.
The total cases of COVID-19 in the state so far has reached 57,712. Total recoveries are 55,455, while the death count is 828.
The active cases in the state are 1,429. The recovery rate in the state is 96.09 per cent, ANI reported.
India-made COVID-19 vaccines reach Niger
Niger received India-made COVID-19 vaccines under the ''Vaccine Maitri'' initiative on Monday.
"Standing with Sahel. Made in India vaccines reach Niger. #VaccineMaitri," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted.
Delhi police issues 3,284 challans for traffic violations on HoliThe Delhi Police issued over 3,000 challans for various traffic violations in the city on the occasion of Holi, officials said on Monday.
These include 100 challans issued for drunken driving, they said.
"A total of 3,282 challans were issued for various traffic violations and a majority of these were issued to motorists riding without helmets," an official said.
No fatal accidents were reported, he said.
Chhattisgarh sees 1,423 new COVID-19 cases, 20 deathsChhattisgarh's COVID-19 count rose to 3,41,516 on Monday with the addition of 1,423 fresh cases, while the death toll mounted by 20 to 4,096, a health official said.
The number of recovered patients increased to 3,17,239 after a total of 19 people were discharged from various hospitals while 400 others completed their home isolation stay during the day.
Chhattisgarh is now left with 20,181 active cases, the official said.
With 442 new cases, Raipur district's count rose to 63,653, including 881 deaths.
WHO Chief Says All Possible Covid Origins "Need Further Study"
The WHO's chief said Monday that all hypotheses on the Covid-19 pandemic's origins remained open and needed further study, based on international experts' report on their mission to Wuhan.
World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the UN health agency had received the report over the weekend, adding that all theories on how the virus entered humans remained on the table.
"All hypotheses are open, from what I read from the report," Tedros told a virtual press conference in Geneva, adding that they "will need further study".
A team of international experts visited Wuhan in China in January and February this year, examining and ranking in their subsequent report four possible pathways by which SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes Covid-19 disease -- might have entered humans before spreading around the world.
Consignment of Made-in-India COVID-19 vaccines arrives in Fiji
A flight carrying a consignment of Made-in-India COVID-19 vaccines landed in Fiji on Monday under the ''Vaccine Maitri'' initiative, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed.
"Reaching out to the South Pacific. Made in India vaccines land in Fiji. #VaccineMaitri," Mr Jaishankar said in a tweet.
Under the ''Vaccine Maitri'' initiative, India has been providing coronavirus vaccines to its neighbouring countries. Over 70 countries have already received vaccines under the program.
Multiple entries of voters is very serious matter: Former Kerala Chief Minister
Former Kerala Chief Minister and Congress leader Oommen Chandy on Monday termed the multiple entries of voters in the electoral roll for the upcoming state Assembly polls as a very ''serious matter''.
"The issue raised by Ramesh Chennithala is very serious regarding the election. It was approved by the Election Commission. The court also agreed. Some of the names were brought to the notice of the EC officials. But it is very serious that more than one vote has come in the name of a voter," Mr Chandy told ANI.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court on Monday directed the Election Commission to ensure that voters with multiple entries vote only once in the upcoming state Assembly elections. The court gave the interim order on the petition filed by Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, in which he sought restraining of fake and multiple entries of voters' name in the voters' list.
BJP names Mahesh Jeena as its bypoll candidate from Salt in UttarakhandThe BJP on Monday named Mahesh Jeena as its candidate for the Salt Assembly constituency in Almora district of Uttarakhand, where a bypoll is scheduled to be held on April 17.
The bypoll to the seat was necessitated after the untimely death of MLA Surendra Singh Jeena due to COVID-19 in November last year.
Mahesh Jeena is the elder brother of Surendra Singh Jeena, who enjoyed the reputation of being an energetic and farsighted leader dedicated to the development of his constituency.
By fielding Mahesh Jeena from the seat, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hopes to reap the advantage of his late brother's good work in his constituency and the sympathy factor.
Odisha reports 208 fresh COVID-19 cases, one more fatalityOdisha's COVID-19 caseload mounted to 3,40,402 on Monday after 208 people tested positive for the virus, while one more fatality pushed the death count to 1,921, a health department official said.
Nuapada district reported the highest number of 36 new cases, followed by Khurda (33) and Kalahandi (22).
Odisha, for the fifth consecutive day on Monday, reported above 200 fresh cases, he said.
The number of active cases now stands at 1,737, while 3,36,691 patients have recovered from the disease so far, the official said.
Assam: Devotees of Lord Krishna took out a procession in Dibrugarh on Holi
People in Amritsar celebrate Holi
Telangana adds 403 new COVID-19 cases, two deaths push count to 1,690Telangana recorded 403 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 3,06,742, while the death
count rose to 1,690 with two more fatalities, the state government said on Monday.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the most number of cases with 146, followed by Medchal Malkajgiri and Rangareddy districts with 40 and 34 cases respectively, it said in a bulletin, providing details as of 8 PM on March 28.
The bulletin said 313 patients recovered from the infection on March 28.
The cumulative recovered cases stood at 3,00,469, while 4,583 were under treatment.
The bulletin said 33,930 samples were tested on March 28.
Odisha reports 208 new COVID-19 cases
Odisha has reported 208 new COVID-19 cases and 120 recoveries in the last 24 hours, according to the State Health Department on Tuesday.
Of the new cases, 122 were reported from quarantine centres and 86 detected during contact tracing.
With this, the total number of cases now stands at 3,40,402. There are 1,737 active cases while 3,36,691patients have been cured or recovered.
The state has so far conducted 90,01,450 sample tests for COVID-19.
Mamata Banerjee holds padyatra in Bengal: Video
India Reports 68,020 New COVID-19 Cases, 291 Deaths In Last 24 HoursIndia's total tally of COVID-19 cases surged to 1,20,39,644 with 68,020 new infections being reported in a day, while the recoveries have crossed 1.13 crore, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday. The death count increased to 1,61,843 with 291 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The total number of samples tested up to 28th March is 24,18,64,161 including 9,13,319 samples tested yesterday: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
10 Students Test Positive For COVID-19 At IIT Bhubaneswar
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar has postponed the arrival of the next batch of students scheduled for April 4 after 10 students tested positive for COVID-19. "All 10 students are now in the isolation centre of the institute and are being taken care of. In view of the positive cases upon entry, the Institute postponed the arrival of the next batch of students scheduled for April 4, 2021," IIT said in a statement on Sunday.
This year, play Holi only at home. Avoid crowded places like parks, gardens and common areas.
WATCH | Farmers protesting in Ghazipur at Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border for the last 123 days sing and dance as they celebrate Holi.
New Zealand reports 11 new cases of COVID-19
New Zealand reported 11 new border-related COVID-19 cases in managed isolation and no new community cases on Monday, said the Ministry of Health in a statement. Of these new cases, one arrived from Italy via Singapore, and 10 arrived in New Zealand on the same flight from India via the United Arab Emirates, which arrived on March 27. Additional testing including Whole Genome Sequencing will be conducted to indicate whether any of the cases are related.
Mathura: Devotees gather at Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, on the occasion of Holi today.
UN Chief Criticises Wealthy Countries For "Stockpile" Of Covid Vaccines
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticized developed countries for creating a "stockpile" of Covid-19 vaccines, and called on them to share with the rest of the world to help end the pandemic. "I'm very concerned with this very unfair distribution of vaccines in the world," Guterres said in an interview broadcast Sunday by the Canadian channel CBC.
India Gifts 1 Lakh Covid Vaccine Doses To Nepal ArmyAs a mark of friendship and strong ties between New Delhi and Kathmandu, India on Sunday sent one lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the Nepal Army.
The nine packages of Covishield vaccines, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) arrived in Kathmandu, via an Air India flight late in the evening.
59 Andhra University Students Test Positive For CoronavirusAmid a surge in coronavirus cases across the country, 59 students of Andhra University College of Engineering tested positive for the virus.
Earlier today, District collector Vinay Chand reviewed the situation of Covid cases with Andhra Medical College (AMC) principal Sudhakar and District medical and health officer Dr P Suryanarayana in Andhra University.
Mr Suryanarayana told ANI, "On Friday, 59 Andhra University Engineering College students who live in hostels tested positive. After a student tested positive, the health officials collected samples of 850 students, of which 59 tested positive.