India on Sunday saw a slight dip in the number of new coronavirus cases but the figure is still high –392,488 in the last 24 hours – but deaths increased by 3,689 to a total of 215,542.
On Saturday, the nation crossed 400,000 daily cases, a new global record.
According to Indian Ministry of Health data, the overall infection count in the country stands at 19,557,457 since the pandemic first broke out in January last year. There are now 3,349,644 active cases in the country and 15,992,271 patients have recovered from the infection.
Figures show that capital New Delhi registered 25,219 cases and a record number of 412 deaths. The worst affected state of Maharashtra saw more than 63,000 cases and 802 deaths.
India has so far administered 156,816,031 coronavirus vaccine doses — 1,826,219 shots on Saturday alone.
On Saturday, India began its third phase of inoculation in which citizens above 18 years of age are being covered. As many as 84,599 beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group were given the first shot of the vaccine on the first day, according to the health ministry.
The figure is, however, quite low as compared to the overall 1.8 million vaccines administered on Saturday. This is due to a shortage of vaccine that has led to almost all states postponing the inoculation programme for the 18-44 age group. In the few states where the third phase started, it was limited to sporadic centres in a few districts.
Besides vaccines, the country is also facing a shortage of oxygen supplies and vital medicines. In Delhi, 12 patients, including a senior doctor, died at the Batra Hospital after the private facility ran out of oxygen supply.
Meanwhile, India received the first batch of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines from Russia.
