COVID-19: Maharashtra, 5 other states witnessing surge, account for 81 per cent of new infections

New Delhi, Mar 25: Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat are reporting a surge in daily coronavirus cases, accounting for 80.63 per cent of the new COVID-19 infections, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday.

The three states of Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab also account for 74.32 per cent the of total active cases in the country which has increased to 3.95 lakh and comprises 3.35 per cent of the total infections.

A total of 53,476 new cases have been reported in a span of 24 hours, the highest single day rise so far this year.

Maharashtra continues to report the highest daily new cases at 31,855 (59.57 per cent). It is followed by Punjab with 2,613 while Kerala reported 2,456 new cases, the ministry said.

Ten states including Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new cases, it highlighted.

India''s total COVID-19 active caseload has increased to 3,95,192. A net rise of 26,735 cases is recorded from the total active caseload in a span of 24 hours.

"Three states, Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab, account for 74.32 per cent the of total active cases in the country. Maharashtra alone accounts for 62.91 per cent of the total active cases in the country," the ministry underlined.

The ministry also said that over 5.31 crore vaccine doses have been administered through 8,61,292 sessions.

These include 79,80,849 HCWs (1st dose), 50,61,790 HCWs (2nd dose), 84,78,478 FLWs (1st dose) and 3 2,37,381 FLWs (2nd Dose), 51,31,949 beneficiaries aged more than 45 years with specific co-morbidities (1st Dose) and 2,32,55,262 beneficiaries aged more than 60 years.

As on day-68 of the vaccination drive (March 24), more than 23 lakh (23,03,305) vaccine doses were given. Out of which, 21,13,323 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 38,243 sessions for 1st dose and 1,89,982 HCWs and FLWs received the 2nd dose of vaccine.

The ministry said that 60 per cent of the cumulative doses (5,31,45,709) have been given in eight states --Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

India''s cumulative recoveries stand at 1,12,31,650 with 26,490 recoveries being registered in a span of 24 hours. The gap between total recovered cases and the active cases stands at 10,836,458 as on date, the ministry stated.

Also, 251 deaths were reported in a span of 24 hours.

Six states account for 78.49 per cent of the daily deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (95). Punjab follows with 39 daily deaths and Chhattisgarh reported 29 deaths in a span of 24 hours.

Fourteen states and UTs have not reported any COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours. These are Jammu and Kashmir, Goa, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Ladakh (UT), Sikkim, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.