With 26,291 new cases, India records biggest spike in nearly three months

As many as 26,624 new infections were recorded on 20 December last year. After seeing a downward trend for over a month, the country is now bracing itself against a possible second wave.

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The count of daily fresh cases has been on a steady rise since the last week of February and touching record highs for the last four days.

With the addition of the new cases, the cumulative caseload in India has reached 1,13,85,339.

There are 2,19,262 active cases across the country currently. The tally crossed the 2-lakh mark on Saturday after 53 days.

A decline was recorded in the daily new deaths, with 118 more people losing their lives due to the disease, taking the toll to 1,58,725. Fatalities stood at 161 on Sunday, the highest number of Covid-19 deaths in over two weeks.

In addition to this, 17,455 recuperated from the disease in the last 24 hours. The total number of recoveries has now reached 1,10,07,352.

India’s Covid-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on 7 August last year, 30 lakh on 23 August, 40 lakh on 5 September and 50 lakh on 16 September. It went past 60 lakh on 28 September, 70 lakh on 11 October, crossed 80 lakh on 29 October, 90 lakh on 20 November and surpassed the one-crore mark on 19 December.

Total tests conducted

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) informed on Monday that a total of 22,74,07,413 samples have been tested across the country so far. Out of these, 7,03,772 samples were tested on Sunday.

Vaccination in India

India has so far administered 2,99,08,038 anti-Covid shots.

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on 16 January with healthcare workers getting inoculated and vaccination of the frontline workers started from 2 February.

The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced on 1 March for those who are above 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions.