15 April,2021 06:29 AM IST | New Delhi | Agencies
Throwing caution to the wind yet again, devotees gather at a ghat in Haridwar on Wednesday. Pic/PTI
India recorded its highest-ever daily spike in new Coronavirus cases at 1,84,372 in the past 24 hours, a sharp surge in comparison to the past two days. The country had been reporting over 1.6 lakh cases daily.
According to the Union health ministry Wednesday morning data, 1,027 more fatalities were registered, the highest since October 18. The country now has 13,65,704 active cases, which has also been on an upward trend since the past 35 days.
The sharp surge comes amid blatant violation of COVID-19 safety protocols at the Kumbh mela in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Between eight and 10 lakh people congregated at Har ki Pauri by noon, for the third shahi snan of the Kumbh mela, on Wednesday, said Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar. COVID-19 rules were continued to be violated.
The health experts has been warning that these congregations would lead to a massive increase in cases, when devotees return to their native places. National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) Chairman Dr N K Arora on Wednesday said that any form of gathering micro or mega acts as a super spreader of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the Congress on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was negligent, careless and callous in tackling the virus, and was jeopardising the lives of Indians. Congress general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Modi government has been cruel when it comes to ensuring life-saving drugs and providing oxygen and vaccines to Indians. While there is an acute shortage of vaccines, the government is busy abusing state governments raising the issue.
Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu has said the state had asked for 15 lakh COVDI-19 vaccine doses from the Centre but received only 4 lakh doses on April 11. The stock is not sufficient for vaccination till April 15, Sidhu on said Tuesday.
Pic/PTI
Migrants board buses for their native places, at a bus stand in Kanpur, UP, on Wednesday. In Jharkhand, the control room set up for migrants has seen a drastic rise in the number of phone calls from them.
1,38,73,825
Total number of cases in the country as of Sunday
1,72,085
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India
1,23,36,036
Patients Recovered and discharged in India as of Sunday
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