India logged a record 3,49,691 new coronavirus infections in a day taking its total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,69,60,172.
Active cases crossed the 26-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.
The death toll increased to 1,92,311 with a record 2,767 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan took to social media on Sunday to defend the Narendra Modi government’s new strategy under which everyone above 18 years of age will be vaccinated against COVID-19 from May 1 and hit out at political leaders indulging in “needless politics” on the matter and spreading misinformation.
In a four-page statement, Vardhan said the Centre has liberalised the coronavirus vaccination strategy to allow states, private hospitals and industrial establishments following requests from nearly all states and to unleash the “combined effort of Team India” to inoculate every adult in the earliest possible time.
Vardhan said he sees no reason why the states must complain now as they were demanding removal of restrictions on vaccine supplies to them. The new strategy gives states one guaranteed channel of free vaccine supply from the Centre, while they can simultaneously procure vaccines directly from manufacturers for which they can negotiate prices based on volumes, he said.
7 Bengaluru crematoriums set aside for COVID-19 victims only
In order to cater to the surge in deaths of COVID-19 patients in Bengaluru, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has stopped the cremation of non-COVID-19 deceased patients in seven of the city's crematoriums. These seven are Medi Agrahara, Kudlu, Panathur, Kengeri, Summanahalli, Peenya and Banashankari. Also, these seven crematoriums will allow cremation of those referred by the concerned COVID-19 helpline.
Days before the government expands the vaccination drive for those above 18 years, four Opposition ruled states on Sunday said that they would not be able to begin the drive on May 1 because of shortage of enough vaccines.
Rajasthan government said it had been told by the Serum Institute of India (SII), which manufactures Covishield, that it would not be able to supply doses before May 15, a report in The Indian Express said.
Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma reportedly said, “We were told to speak to Serum Institute. Their feedback was that the orders that they have got from the central government…they will need time till May 15 to supply those orders. So they are not in a position to give the vaccine to us.”
“So, the question is, if the states want to procure vaccines directly, what is the process? This the central government should decide. The question before us is, we have 3.13 crore people in the 18-45 age group; how will we vaccinate them?” he said.
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A total of 1,92,311 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 63,928 from Maharashtra, 14,283 from Karnataka, 13,475 from Tamil Nadu, 13,898 from Delhi, 10,959 from Uttar Pradesh, 10,884 from West Bengal, 8,356 from Punjab and 7,616 from Andhra Pradesh.
The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.
"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
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