India jabs over 2.5 crore Covid-19 doses; Bihar, Karnataka Top Performers

New Delhi, Sep 18: India created history by giving over 2.50 crore Covid-19 jabs in a single day on Friday on the occasion of Narendra Modi's 71st birthday with Bihar administering over 29.38 lakh doses, the most number of Covid vaccinations in a single day.

Bihar administered 29,38,653 doses till 11.20 pm, giving a major push to the inoculation drive on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 71st birthday. It is followed by Karnataka (28.90 lakh), Uttar Pradesh (27.15 lakh), Madhya Pradesh (26.44 lakh), and Gujarat (23.37 lakh). It has to be noted that big numbers are posted by all the BJP-ruled states.

More than 59 crore vaccines or 75% of the shots have been given as the first dose in India while 25% of the Indian adults (19.75 crore) have received both doses.

"Karnataka has vaccinated 75% of its eligible population against Covid-19, with the first dose and 24% with both doses. We hope to reach 5 crore vaccinations today. Bengaluru is second district in India to vaccinate all eligible population," Karnataka State Health Minister K Sudhakar said.

The 1-crore mark was touched around 1.30 pm and crossed 2-crore mark around 5 pm.

According to various reports, India has broken the previous world record for daily doses created by China which had administered 2.47 crore vaccines in a single day in June.

In a tweet in Hindi, Mandaviya said, "Congratulations India! India has created history today on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday. By administering more than 2.50 crore vaccines, a golden chapter has been written in the history of the country and the world."

"Every Indian would be proud of today's record vaccination numbers. I acknowledge our doctors, innovators, administrators, nurses, healthcare and all front-line workers who have toiled to make the vaccination drive a success. Let us keep boosting vaccination to defeat COVID-19. [sic]" Prime Minister Modi had tweeted earlier.

The daily vaccinations crossed the one-crore mark for the fourth time in less than a month.

The countrywide vaccination drive in India was kicked off on January 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers started on 2 February.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for people aged over 60 and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. The country launched vaccination for all people aged over 45 from April 1. The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone aged above 18 to be vaccinated from May 1.