Here are the top 10 updates on coronavirus:
India recorded one lakh infections in just three days, the government said on Saturday after 40,953 new infections were reported in a day. On Friday, 39,726 new cases were logged while 35,871 fresh cases were recorded the previous day. India's COVID-19 tally currently stands at 1.15 crore (1,15,99,130).
Eight states including Maharashtra and Delhi are reporting a rising trajectory of new infections, the Health ministry said while giving the latest COVID-19 update on Saturday. Kerala, meanwhile, is showing a "consistently declining" trend, it said.
Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, accounts for 62 per cent of daily cases in the country, the government said. The western state on Saturday reported 27,126 daily coronavirus cases for the first time ever. Ninty-two people in the state died because of the illness in the last 24 hours, according to government data.
Meanwhile, Delhi added more than 800 coronavirus cases yesterday, crossing the number for the first time this year. The new 813 cases pushed the capital's infection tally past 6.47 lakh while two more fatalities took the number of deaths to 10,955, according to data shared by the health department.
In the south, Tamil Nadu has ordered closure of schools for classes 9, 10 and 11 from March 22 from today. However, classes for the 12th standard students will continue as they have to take the board examination.
The sudden jump in cases was due to "laxity in the observance of COVID-appropriate behaviour" by people, especially at crowded places, the government has said. The Centre has also directed the states and Union territories to strictly ensure that people follow Covid-appropriate behaviour like wearing of face masks, maintaining hand hygiene and social distancing.
India is witnessing surge in Covid cases amid a countrywide vaccination drive through which over four crore people have been administered anti-Covid vaccine jabs so far.
The COVID-19 vaccine should be able to give good protection from the infection for eight to ten months, AIIMS director Randeep Guleria said yesterday. He also said that no major side-effect of the vaccine has been recorded.
Serum Institute's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin have been currently approved for restricted emergency use in India. Last week, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had announced that more than six coronavirus vaccines will come up in India.
More than 12 crore people have been affected worldwide since the beginning of the pandemic; 26 lakh have died.
India Reports 157 Covid Cases, 2 Deaths In Last 24 Hours 2,083 Cases Of Covid Sub-variant JN.1, Its Lineages Found In India So Far India Records 1,513 Cases Of Covid Sub-Variant JN.1, States On Alert Mode 11 Dead, Many Critical In Jaipur Fire As 2 Trucks Collide Outside Petrol Pump "Go Ahead": What Arun Jaitley Told Raghuram Rajan About Tackling Bad Loans 52 kg Gold, Rs 10 Crore Cash Found In Abandoned Innova In Bhopal Jungle "Rumour": DY Chandrachud On Being Considered For Rights Panel Chief Post "We're Largest Private Investor In Bihar": Pranav Adani At Patna Event Are Personalised Nutrition Plans Based On DNA Testing Healthy? Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.