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India records highest single day rise in coronavirus cases this year

WION Web Team
New DelhiUpdated: Mar 19, 2021, 12:49 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

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The death toll in Maharashtra due to the virus has now risen to 53,138.

India on Friday reported 39,726 new COVID-19 cases and 154 fatalities in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry.

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The surge in cases is the highest single-day rise recorded so far this year, the ministry said.

The total number of cases in the country has now gone up to 1,15,14,331 along with 2,71,282 active cases. The death toll due virus has risen to 1,59,370 in India.

The health ministry said that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification.

The health ministry said 3,93,39,817 people have been vaccinated so far. Maharashtra which has been the hardest-hit state due to the virus reported 25,833 new coronavirus cases with 58 deaths in the last 24 hours.

According to the ICMR, 23,13,70,546 samples have been tested till Thursday with 10,57,383 samples being tested today. The 154 new fatalities include 58 from Maharashtra, 32 from Punjab and 15 from Kerala.

The death toll in Maharashtra due to the virus has now risen to 53,138. The total active COVID-19 cases in the state stands at 1,66,353 with total cases going up to 23,96,340.

Meanwhile, night curfew as imposed in Amritsar amid a surge in cases. The curfew has been imposed between 11 pm and 5 am.

In Madhya Pradesh's Indore 309 fresh coronavirus cases were reported in 24 hours with the death toll climbing to 944. The total number of cases has now 63,510.

Amid the surge in cases, external affairs spokesman Anurag Srivastava said: "Consignment of Made in India COVID-19 vaccine has been airlifted for Namibia as part of Vaccine Maitri."