India recorded 15,144 cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours, according to Union health ministry data on Sunday. With this, the nationwide tally has reached 10,557,985.
The number of active cases, which have been steadily falling, stood at 2,08,826 while 10,196,885 patients have been cured/discharged from hospitals.
The country recorded 181 fresh fatalities, which took the death toll to 1,52,274, according to health ministry.
The first Covid-19 vaccine shots in India were given on Saturday to nearly two lakh frontline healthcare and sanitary workers as Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out the world’s largest inoculation drive against the pandemic.
As PM Modi asserted that the two vaccines being deployed will ensure a “decisive victory” for India against the coronavirus, the Union Health Ministry said no case of post-inoculation hospitalisation has been reported so far and the vaccination drive was successful. Sanitation workers were the first to get the jabs in Delhi and some states.
Official figures showed that one "severe" and 51 "minor" cases of Adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) were reported among health workers administered the vaccine in the national capital.
{{/usCountry}}Official figures showed that one "severe" and 51 "minor" cases of Adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) were reported among health workers administered the vaccine in the national capital.
{{/usCountry}}A sense of joy and excitement was witnessed at medical centres across the country with the beneficiaries being administered the Covishield and Covaxin vaccines less than a year after India recorded the first coronavirus case in Kerala on January 30 last.
Addressing the nation ahead of the launch of what he described as the world's largest vaccination programme, PM Modi reassured the country that emergency use authorisation was given to the two made in India vaccines only after scientists were convinced of their safety and effectiveness, and urged people to beware of propaganda and rumours.
India has the second highest recorded cases of Covid-19 after the United States.