India on Sunday recorded more than one lakh Covid-19 cases in a span of 24 hours – The highest single-day rise in infections since the pandemic began last year.
While the Centre attributed it to a severe decline in the compliance of Covid-appropriate behaviour, pandemic fatigue, and lack of effective implementation of containment measures, PM Narendra Modi has directed that central teams consisting of public health specialists be sent to Maharashtra, Punjab, and Chhattisgarh where the situation has worsened.
The previous high was achieved on September 16 last year, when 97,894 positive cases were reported. With Sunday's tally, nearly 1.25 crore people in India have been infected with Covid-19, with the active caseload crossing the 7-lakh mark.
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The Union Health Ministry said, the doubling time of Covid-19 cases is down to 115.4 days. About 490 deaths were also reported Sunday, with Maharashtra accounting for 222.
Eight states, including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, have emerged as major contributors to the daily caseload.
Maharashtra alone accounts for 58.19 per cent of the total active caseload of the country. Mumbai also registered a record single-day rise of 11,206 cases. Besides, Delhi recorded over 4,000 cases for the first time in four months. Tamil Nadu and Punjab reported 3,581 and 3,019 Covid-19 cases respectively.
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Several states have imposed night curfews and brought back restrictions to break the chain of transmission. The Maharashtra government on Sunday announced a weekend lockdown and night curfew during the weekdays till April 30. The weekend lockdown will start from 8 pm on Fridays and last till 7 am on Mondays.
