India records over 23,000 new Covid-19 cases in single day, highest in about 80 days

New Delhi: Amid the intensive inoculation drive against the coronavirus, India is witnessing a sudden increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases, with some states registering an alarming spike in active cases.  India, during the last 24 hours, recorded over 22,000 new COVID cases, which is 27 per cent higher than yesterday’s total of over 17,000 cases.

This is also the highest single-day spike in the last 76 days. The country last recorded such an increase in daily cases on December 25 when it registered 23,067 infections in a day. According to the latest data by the Union Health Ministry, India reported 22,854 new COVID-19 cases, 18,100 recoveries, and 126 deaths in the last 24 hours.

 The cumulative cases in the country reached 1,12,85,561 including 1,89,226 active cases and 1,09,38,146 recoveries. The worst-hit five states registering a record spike include Maharashtra (13,659) followed by Kerala (2,475), Punjab (1,393), Karnataka (760) and Gujarat (675). A total of 1,58,189 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 52,610 from Maharashtra followed by 12,530 from Tamil Nadu, 12,379 from Karnataka, 10,931 from Delhi, 10,283 from West Bengal, 8,740 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,177 from Andhra Pradesh.

Stressing upon the alarming spike, the Centre had earlier this week said that eight states – Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Haryana – are witnessing an upward trajectory in new COVID-19 cases, with weekly positive rate going higher than te national average of 2.29 per cent.

In wake of the spike, the Centre had also rushed high-level teams to the states accounting for a major part of the sharp spike in COVID-19 cases in the country. As per Health Ministry data, Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat account for nearly 86 per cent of the fresh infections. Three-member teams, headed by joint secretary-level officers in the Health Ministry, have been rushed to these states, along with Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, India had entered the second phase of its inoculation drive on March 1 which aims to vaccinate people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years with specific comorbid conditions. A total of 9,22,039 vaccine doses were given till 7 pm yesterday, the 54th day of nationwide COVID-19 vaccination.