New Delhi: 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.
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Mar 29, 2021 18:39 (IST)
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.
Mar 29, 2021 17:53 (IST)
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.
Mar 29, 2021 17:11 (IST)
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.
