India has reported 1,61,736 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country’s tally to over 1.36 crore, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

The country’s total Covid-19 caseload stands now stands at 1,36,89,453 of which 12,64,698 are active Covid-19 cases, which is 9.24 per cent of the total infections. India now has the second-highest coronavirus cases globally, behind the United States of America and ahead of Brazil.

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With 879 deaths recorded in the last 24 hours, pushing pushed the total death count to 1,71,058.

In the last 24 hours, 97,168 patients recovered, taking the number of recoveries to 1,22,53,697 with a recovery rate of 89.51 per cent.

Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh remain the worst affected states in the country due to pandemic.

Maharashtra which remains the worst affected state has recorded 51,751 new Covid-19 cases taking the state’s tally to 34,58,996 cases. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackery has hinted at a possibility of lockdown amidst the surge in cases.

In the last 24 hours, Delhi reported 11,491 new Covid-19 cases and 72 deaths taking the state’s tally to 7,36,688. The deaths recorded in the last 24 hours which is the highest single-day spike since December 5.

The Delhi government on Monday said that 14 private hospitals in the city have been made ‘full Covid-19 hospitals’ to tackle the surge in cases. The government has asked them not to admit patients other than coronavirus cases. At least nineteen hospitals have been asked to reserve 80 per cent of their intensive care unit (ICU) beds for Covid treatment.

The Indian drug regulator has cleared Russia’s Covid vaccine Sputnik V for emergency use. It is the third coronavirus vaccine to be cleared by Drugs Controller General of India after Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 14,00,122 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, taking the total samples tested to 25,92,07,108.

A total of 40,04,521 people were vaccinated in the last 24 hours taking the total vaccination count to 10,85,33,085.