15 lakh people vaccinated against COVID-19 on March 5, highest in a day

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Nearly 15 lakh people were inoculated against coronavirus on March 5, the highest in a day so far, taking the total number of vaccine doses administered in the country to over 1.94 crore, official sources said on Saturday.

The countrywide COVID-19 vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) had started from February 2.

Administering of second dose of COVID-19 vaccine started on February 13 for those beneficiaries who had completed 28 days after receipt of the first dose.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination drive commenced from March 1 for those above 60 years of age and for people aged 45 years and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

As on Day 49 (March 5) of the vaccination drive, a total of 14,92,201 COVID-19 vaccine doses were given. Out of which, 11,99,848 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 18,333 sessions for the first dose (HCWs and FLWs), and 2,92,353 HCWs and FLWs received the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, health ministry said.

These beneficiaries (11,99,848) include 1,10,857 individuals, aged between 45-60 years, having specified comorbidities, and 7,61,355 people aged above 60 years.

More than 1.94 crore (1,94,97,704) vaccine doses have been administered through 3,57,478 sessions, as per the provisional report till Saturday 7 am.

These include 69,15,661 HCWs (first dose), 33,56,830 HCWs (second dose), 63,55,989 FLWs (first dose) and 1,44,191 FLWs (second dose), 3,46,758 beneficiaries aged more than 45 years with specific co-morbidities (first dose) and 23,78,275 beneficiaries aged more than 60 years, it said.

Meanwhile, the ministry said, Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have reported a high number of COVID-19 daily new cases, cumulatively accounting for 82 per cent of the new cases reported in a span of 24 hours.

A total of 18,327 new cases were registered in a span of 24 hours, it said.

Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 10,216 followed by Kerala with 2,776 cases, while Punjab reported 808 new cases.

Eight states are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new coronavirus cases, the ministry highlighted.

India’s total COVID-19 active cases have reached 1,80,304, comprising 1.61 per cent of the country’s total number of infections.

On the other hand, 21 states and Union territories (UTs) have less than 1,000 active cases, the ministry said.

Arunachal Pradesh has reported only three active cases.

Showing the change in active cases for states/UTs in 24 hours, the ministry said Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu have shown a reduction in the active cases in a span of 24 hours.

On the other hand, Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana have displayed a rise in the active cases during the same time period, it noted.

Besides, 108 deaths due to the disease were reported in a day, it said.

Six states account for 85.2 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (53). Kerala follows with 16 daily deaths and Punjab reported 11 deaths in a span of 24 hours.

Eighteen states/UTs have not reported any COVID-19 deaths in a span of 24 hours. These are Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Assam, Sikkim, Manipur, Ladakh, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.