With 43,846 fresh Covid cases, India witnesses highest daily spike in 4 months

The daily rise in cases was the highest recorded in 112 days, while the number of fatalities has risen to 1,59,755 with 197 daily new deaths during the last 24 hours, the health ministry data stated.

Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka and Gujarat are the five states that have recorded the highest single-day surge during this period.

India's COVID-19 tally currently stands at 1.15 crore (1,15,99,130). The total number of active cases is presently at 3, 09, 087.

The Union Home Ministry has directed all states and union territories to focus on effective measures to curb the spread of Covid.

In this regard, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has written a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all the States on Saturday.

The instructions should be strictly followed to prevent covid infection, he said. Bhalla also said that awareness should be created about the guidelines regarding Covid 19.

Maharashtra, one of the worst affected states in the country, registered more than 27,000 cases and 92 deaths during the past 24 hours, posing a major challenge before the state government.

Meanwhile, Delhi added more than 800 coronavirus cases on Saturday, crossing the number for the first time this year.

The new cases pushed the capital's infection tally past 6.47 lakh while two more fatalities took the number of deaths to 10,955, according to data shared by the health department.