India Registers Less Than 1k New COVID-19 Deaths for the 1st Time since April

By Staff, Agencies

Noting that India’s COVID vaccination drive “keeps gaining” momentum, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said that “vaccines for all, free for all” remains the government’s commitment.

“India’s vaccination drive keeps gaining momentum! Congrats to all those who are driving this effort. Our commitment remains vaccines for all, free for all,” he said in a tweet.

Modi was responding to a tweet by the Indian Health Ministry which said India has overtaken the United States in the total number of COVID vaccine doses given till date. While India has administered a total of 32,36,63,297 doses till date, the United States has given 32,33,27,328 doses.

India reported 46,148 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry. With 979 deaths in the last 24 hours, the daily count of deaths has dropped below 1,000 for the first time since April 12. Maharashtra, the only state to report more than 100 deaths, recorded 411 fatalities. The overall death toll has touched 3,96,730.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stand at 3,02,79,331. There are 5,72,994 active cases at present and 2,93,09,607 people have recovered from the disease. Among states, Kerala was the topmost contributor with 10,905 new cases. Maharashtra had 9,974 cases.

And a Mumbai-based survey shows that while the first vaccine shot works, the second works even better. Of the 2.9 lakh COVID patients in the city, who were surveyed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation [BMC] from January 1 to June 17, just 26 reported being infected after receiving the second vaccine dose and 10,500 after the first dose.

According to data compiled by the BMC’s war rooms, Mumbai recorded 3.95 lakh COVID cases during this period, which includes the severe second wave. Of these, the war rooms were able to contact 2.9 lakh patients who were in home isolation.