Following a five- month high of 68,020 new cases and 291 deaths on Sunday, the number of cases and deaths registered on Monday fell to 53,250 and 242 respectively, largely due to a reduced number of tests. 9.13 lakh new samples were tested on Sunday (compared to 11.81 lakh on Saturday) and for whom results were made available by State health departments on Monday. Data for Monday was as of 10.06 PM.
The Health Ministry had noted that eight states - Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh contributed to 84.5% of the new cases on Sunday. These new cases have furthered the second wave of infections in the country that began in the middle of February 2021 and has shown no signs of easing as yet.
Maharashtra registered 40,414 and 31,643 new cases and 108 and 102 deaths on Sunday and Monday respectively. Punjab registered 69 and 59 deaths respectively, the second highest among States. The cumulative case load increased to 1,20,92,460, with active cases going up to 5,35,502 and recoveries reaching 1,13,89,993. The total registered death toll is now 1,62,123. India has the third highest case load in the world (behind the U.S. and Brazil) and the fourth highest registered death toll (behind the U.S., Brazil and Mexico).
