COVID-19: Vaccination for people above 45 years starts
The COVID-19 vaccination for all the people aged 45 years and above commenced from Thursday, the Union Health Ministry said. Notably, more than 6.5 crore vaccine doses have been administered across the country so far to frontline workers, healthcare workers, people who are aged above 60, and people aged above 45 with some specified co-morbid conditions.
Countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated and the vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started from February 2. The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 for those over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.
20,63,543 doses given out on Day 75 of the drive
The ministry said so far vaccines have been administered to 82,60,293 HCWs (first dose), 52,50,704 HCWs (second dose), 91,74,171 FLWs (first dose), 39,45,796 FLWs (second Dose), 78,36,667(first dose) and 17,849 (second dose). On day 75 of the vaccination drive, 20,63,543 vaccine doses were given, out of which, 17,94,166 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 39,484 sessions for the first dose and 2,69,377 beneficiaries received the second dose.
Some states continue to show steep rise in COVID-19 cases
The ministry further said that Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Punjab, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh continue to show a steep rise in the COVID-19 daily new cases accounting for 84.61 percent of the new cases reported in a span of 24 hours.
Highest single-day spike this year recorded on Wednesday
Meanwhile, India saw 72,330 new infections being registered in a span of 24 hours, the highest single-day rise recorded so far this year. Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 39,544. It is followed by Chhattisgarh with 4,563 while Karnataka reported 4,225 new cases. India's active caseload has reached 5,84,055 and now comprises 4.78 percent of the country's total infections.
Maharashtra accounts for over 61 percent of active caseload
A net rise of 31,489 cases has been recorded in the total active caseload in a span of 24 hours. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, and Punjab cumulatively account for 78.9 percent of the total active cases in the country. Maharashtra alone accounts for more than 61 percent of the active caseload of the country.
