Coronavirus India Update: 18,000 New Infections Take Active Caseload Above 1.8 Lakh
Follow the developments around the Covid-19 outbreak here.
India reported more than 18,000 fresh cases for the first time since January amid the world’s largest inoculation drive to control its massive outbreak.
Authorities detected 18,327 new cases in 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry’s update as of 8 a.m. on March 6. That’s higher than the 14,234 recoveries in the same period, taking active cases above 1.8 lakh.
Daily deaths related to Covid-19, too, crossed 100 for the second straight day. Total fatalities now account for 1.41% of the nearly 1.12 crore coronavirus cases detected in the country.
Key Figures:
- Total number of confirmed coronavirus cases: 1,11,92,088
- Active cases: 1,80,304
- Cured/discharged/migrated: 1,08,54,128
- Deaths: 1,57,656
- Fresh cases in the last 24 hours: 18,327
- One-day recoveries: 14,234
- One-day deaths: 108
India has administered 1,94,97,704 vaccine shots, with nearly 15 lakh of them given to the elderly in the last 24 hours.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off the second phase of immunisations on Monday — where senior citizens and those above the age of 45 with comorbidities will be able to get inoculated — by taking the first dose of Covaxin.
The indigenous vaccine, which was co-developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Ltd. and the Indian Council of Medical Research, showed an efficacy rate of 81% in those without prior infection after a second dose, the company said in a statement Wednesday.
Adar Poonawalla, the chief executive officer of the Serum Institute of India Ltd., told a World Bank panel on Thursday that a U.S. law blocking the export of certain key items, including bags and filters, will likely cause serious bottlenecks. “We’re talking about having free global access to vaccines but if we can’t get the raw materials out of the U.S. — that’s going to be a serious limiting factor,” he said.