According to the Union Health Ministry on Saturday, India reported its highest-ever single-day spike of COVID-19 cases with over 2.34 lakh new cases and more than 1,300 deaths in the last 24 hours.
In the last 24 hours, 1,341 COVID-related deaths were reported in the country taking the death toll to 1,75,649. In the last 24hours, as many as 2,34,692 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in India and this took the total number of cases has reached to 1,45,26,609.
The active number of cases stands at 16,79,740. In the last 24 hours, 1,23,354 people recovered from the disease. With this, the total recoveries reached 1,26,71,220.
About 14,95,397 samples were tested on Friday reported the Indian Council of Medical Research. And, as many as 26,49,72,022 samples have been tested across the country till April 16.
#CoronaVirusUpdates:#COVID19 testing status update:@ICMRDELHI stated that 26,49,72,022 samples tested upto April 16, 2021
14,95,397 sample tested on April 16, 2021#StaySafe #Unite2FightCorona @ICMRDELHI @DBTIndia pic.twitter.com/GRMRbfrQCa
— #IndiaFightsCorona (@COVIDNewsByMIB) April 17, 2021
Meanwhile, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 11,99,37,641 till today.
On Monday the Drug Controller of General India (DCGI) approved the use of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus in the country.
Now, India has three vaccines Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V for its vaccination programme against COVID-19. From April 2, the government started vaccinating all people above 45 years.
India started its vaccination drive on January 16 with priority given to all healthcare and frontline workers in the first phase. The second phase started on March 1 where doses were administered to people above the age of 60 and those between 45 and 59 years with specific comorbidities.