The daily Covid caseload in India dropped below 2 lakh for the first time since April 14 as 1.96 lakh fresh cases were recorded in the last 24 hours pushing the total cases to 2.69 crore.
As many as 3,511 patients died in the last 24 hours, many states are scrambling to get vaccines amid shortage.
Maharashtra on Monday reported 22,122 fresh coronavirus cases and 592 fatalities, taking the tally of infections to over 56.02 lakh and the death count to 89,212.
After Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh have the highest number of infections.
Karnataka, the second state worst-affected by coronavirus in the second wave, saw 25,311 new cases. Capital Bengaluru logged 5,701 infections, slightly lesser than the previous day’s figures.
Tamil Nadu saw a slight dip in daily Covid cases and deaths with 34,867 fresh cases and 404 deaths. 4,985 of the new infections are from capital Chennai.
Neighbouring Kerala on Monday recorded 17,821 new coronavirus cases amid a decline in testing. 196 Covid-linked deaths were reported today, the state’s highest single-day count.
Delhi recorded 1,550 fresh coronavirus cases, the lowest single-day tally since March 27, and 207 deaths on Monday.
Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state recorded 3,894 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. 153 Covid patients died in the same period. It is fifth in the list of worst-hit states in India.
In Haryana, 3,757 new infections were reported in the last 24 hours. Coronil – the controversial ‘ayurvedic medicine’ from yoga guru Ramdev’s company Patanjali – will be part of the state government’s free Covid kit for patients.
Even as many states are facing a massive challenge of vaccination people amid shortage of domestic vaccines, US vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna have turned down requests to supply Delhi and Punjab with their vaccines. Both cited official policy and said they would only deal with the centre.