India recorded 2,73,810 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total caseload to over 1.5 crore,according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

The country’s total caseload now stands at 1,50,61,919 with 19,29,329 active Covid-19 cases. This is the fifth straight day that the country has recorded over 2 lakh cases.

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With 1,619 deaths in the last24 hours, the death toll is at 1,78, 769. In the last 24 hours, 1,44,178 patients recovered, taking the number of recoveries to 1,29,53,821.

Across the country, a lot of states have reported acute shortage of medical oxygen.The Central government on Sunday said that it has increased the supply of medical oxygen to 12 ‘high burden states’ which are Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.

The supply of oxygen meant for industries will now be diverted for medical use said a letter from the government to the chief secretaries of all the states. The Indian Railways is all set to operate ‘Oxygen Express’ trains that it will help to ‘to get oxygen in bulk and rapidly to patients’ said Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

Maharashtra, which remains the worst affected state by the pandemic, recorded 68,631 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours taking the state’s total to 38,39,338 cases.

Delhi recorded it highest ever single day spike with 25,462 new Covid-19 cases taking the state’s total to 8,53,460 cases.

Bihar, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Manipur have announced new restrictions to combat surge in cases. In Tamil Nadu, night curfew has been imposed from Tuesday between 10 pm and 4 am and inter-state movement of buses has been restricted.

Bihar has also imposed night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am and malls, schools, cinema halls and places of worship have been shut till May 15.

According to the government data, as many as 12,38,52,566 people have been vaccinated so far.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) 13,56,133 samples tested in the last 24 hours, taking the total samples tested to 26,78,94,549.