COVID-19: India cross 40,000-mark for 1st time in four months, 154 die

New Delhi: India on Saturday recorded a whopping 40,953 new cases of COVID-19 during the past 24 hours, pushing the country caseload to 1,15,55,284, while the death toll surged to 1,59,558 with 188 more fatalities.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the active cases rose by 17,112 to stand at 2,88,394. It is now 2.50 per cent of the total caseload.

The past 24 hours saw 23,653 people recovering from the deadly virus, taking the total recovery count to 1,11,07,332, which is 96.12 per cent of the case tally. The fatality rate stood at 1.38 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that a total of 23,24,31,517 lakh samples have been tested so far for coronavirus. Out of this, 10,60,971 were tested in the past one day.

On the vaccination front, a total of 27,23,575 vaccine doses have been administered in the past day, mounting the total number of vaccinations to 4,20,63,392.

Thackeray urges people to follow covid norms precisely

Mumbai: In order to avoid another lockdown in the state, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has warned the people to follow the covid norms precisely.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has warned that if the citizens will not follow covid norms, then the state will be left with no other option than a lockdown.

While talking on Friday evening after his visit to covid affected part of Nandurbar district hehas warned that if the citizens will not follow covid norms, then the state will be left with no other option than a lockdown.

The situation is even worse now that the Covid infection had reached its peak in the state last September.

The Chief Minister said the only way to avert a situation of lockdown is the cooperation of people and to follow the Covid guidelines even after vaccination,he added.

However, In view of the growing prevalence of Covid, the state government has issued orders to maintain 50 per cent staff presence in all private offices and establishments in the state while health as well as other essential services and manufacturing sectors are excluded.

In order to facilitate maintaining social distance, the manufacturing sector can be allowed to increase the work shifts with the permission of the local administration, the order said.

The order also said that there should be 50 per cent attendance in theaters as well as halls, but not for religious, social, political or culture.