Eight states - Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh - reported a high number of Covid-19 daily new cases. India recorded 68,020 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours.

This is the highest surge since 11 October, last year. As many as 74,383 new cases were recorded in a span of 24 hours on 11 October.

India fought through the first wave of infection six months ago and recorded a highest single-day spike of 93,617 cases on 16 September. The highest number of deaths recorded in a day were 1,169 on 15 September.

The Central Government has advised high-burden states and Union territories to take stringent measures for containment of the surge.

Besides this, India's total active Caseload has reached 5,21,808 today. The present active caseload now stands at 4.33 per cent of India's total positive cases. A net incline of 35,498 cases recorded from the total active caseload in the last 24 hours.

India's cumulative recoveries stand at 1,13,55,993 on Monday, 29 March. The national Recovery Rate is 94.32 per cent. 32,231 recoveries were registered in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of single day recoveries with 17,874 newly recovered cases.

Besides this, 291 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. Seven states account for 81.79 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (108). Punjab follows with 69 daily deaths.

So far, 6.05 crore doses of corona vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on 16 January after approval for 'Covishield' and 'Covaxin'.

These include 81,56,997 healthcare workers (1st dose), 51,78,065 healthcare workers (2nd dose), 89,12,113 frontline workers (1st dose) and 36,92,136 frontline workers (2nd Dose), 67,31,223 beneficiaries aged more than 45 years with specific co-morbidities (1st Dose) and 2,78,59,901 beneficiaries aged more than 60 years.

(This story was published from a syndicated feed. Only the headline and picture has been edited by FIT).