Highlights:
- The previous peak in India was on September 16 of last year, when 97,894 positive cases were recorded.
- According to the data revised at 8 a.m., the death toll rose to 1,65,101, with 478 new deaths.
- Maharashtra is the worst-affected state which saw the highest-ever daily increase on Sunday, with 57,074 new infections.
India saw the highest daily rise in Covid infections ever, with 1,03,558 new cases added to the total of 1,25,89,067 cases. Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a high-level meeting to assess the situation on Sunday, and central teams were dispatched to three states.
The death toll rose to 1,65,101, with 478 new deaths, according to data updated at 8 a.m.
In a tweet after the review meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “Reviewed the COVID-19 and vaccination related situation across the country. Mr. Modi further wrote, “Reiterated the importance of the fivefold strategy of testing, tracing, treatment, Covid-appropriate behaviour and vaccination as an effective way to fight the global pandemic. (sic).”
Reviewed the COVID-19 and vaccination related situation across the country. Reiterated the importance of the five fold strategy of Testing, Tracing, Treatment, Covid-appropriate behaviour and Vaccination as an effective way to fight the global pandemic. https://t.co/WjOtjfCXm3
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 4, 2021
“The rapid surge in cases is mainly due to the severe decline in implementation of Covid-appropriate conduct, especially in terms of mask use and maintaining social distancing, pandemic fatigue, and lack of successful implementation of containment measures at the field-level,” according to a government statement released after the Prime Minister’s meeting on Sunday.
Also Read: COVID-19 Vaccination Drive For 45 Years And Above Begins, This Is How To Register
As India battles the second Covid wave, Maharashtra, the worst-affected state, saw the highest-ever daily increase on Sunday, with 57,074 new infections. Mumbai, India’s financial capital, saw the highest-ever single-day increase with 11,163 new infections, bringing the total number of cases to 4,52,445 in the city.
Also, to curb the increases in active cases, Maharashtra will introduce a weekend lockdown and a night curfew starting Monday to tackle a surge in Covid-19 cases, officials announced Sunday.
A night curfew will be in effect from Monday night until the end of April, with gatherings of more than four people prohibited and private offices, restaurants, cinemas, swimming pools, pubs, places of worship, and public places such as beaches closed.
Only essential services will be permitted to operate on weekends.
Public transit will be allowed to run, but only to a capacity of 50%. Industrial and manufacturing activities in the state, as well as film shoots in Mumbai, will be able to continue if health precautions are taken.
A big spike of 4,000 new infections was also reported in Delhi, bringing the total number of Covid infections to 6.76,414 infections. This is the year’s highest single-day increase. It is one of the top five states with the most cases over last 24 hours.
The other three states with the highest increase in cases in the last 24 hours are Chhattisgarh (5,250), Karnataka (4,553), and Uttar Pradesh (4,136), according to government data.
The last time India experienced a daily infection spike was on September 17th, when 97,894 infections were reported in a single day.
The rise in cases comes ahead of elections in four states; Assam, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, as well as Pondicherry, a union territory. Covid procedures are strictly observed in polling booths, according to the Election Commission.
Last week, India expanded its vaccine drive to include all people aged 45 and up. By July, the country hopes to vaccine over 30 crore people.
