On Tuesday, India registered 24,492 new coronavirus cases, taking the overall count to 1,14,09,83. The country’s toll rose to 1,58,856, with 131 deaths reported in 24 hours. Active cases went up by 4,170 to 2,23,432. The number of recoveries reached 1,10,27,543.
Reportedly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called a meeting on Wednesday, 17th March. He will be meeting all chief ministers to discuss a surge in coronavirus cases in several parts of the country. He is also expected to review India’s vaccination drive. This will be the first meeting between the prime minister and chief ministers since India launched its inoculation drive.
On Monday, Maharashtra recorded 15,051 cases, pushing the state’s overall tally to 23,29,464. While this was slightly lower than the cases registered a day before in the state. The toll rose by 48 to 52,909. More than 21.44 lakh people have recovered from the disease so far, even as active cases climbed to 1,30,547, the data from the state department showed.
On Monday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation released a list of new guidelines curbing social, political and religious gatherings, and capping the limit of people allowed to attend weddings and funerals.
On Monday, the Centre opposed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking priority in coronavirus vaccination for judges, court staff, lawyers and their employees. In an affidavit submitted to the court, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Manohar Agnani, said that it will be discriminatory towards people of other professions to give such a preference to those related to the legal fraternity.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has sought the Centre’s response on a plea seeking to include mental illnesses in the list of specified comorbidities that will help them get the Covid-19 vaccine on priority basis.