Covid-19 LIVE: India administers over 1.6 million vaccine doses in single day

The second part of the Budget session of Parliament is set to begin today but its duration is likely to be curtailed. The session will conclude on April 8.

India’s total active caseload stood at 1.84 lakh after six states across the country reported a surge in daily Covid-19 cases. Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu - the six states collectively account for 84.71% of the 18,711 new daily cases reported in the last 24 hours.

Maharashtra continues to report the highest daily new cases at 10,187. It is followed by Kerala with 2,791 while Punjab reported 1,159 new cases.

India's vaccination drive is being conducted in full swing as 2,09,22,344 people have been inoculated so far, health ministry data on Sunday showed.

Tamil Nadu has made it mandatory for overseas and domestic passengers, except those from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and the neighbouring Puducherry union territory to have an e-pass to be allowed entry into the state. The move comes in the wake of a spurt in coronavirus cases in states like Maharashtra and Kerala, even as Tamil Nadu has been witnessing an increase in the number of new infections over the past few days.

Follow all the updates here:

• MAR 08, 2021 10:14 PM IST

  India records highest single day vaccinations, over 1.6 million doses administered

  #LargestVaccineDrive
  
  Nearly 17 lakh vaccine doses given till 9 pm today; Highest in a single day till now.
  
  More than 2.26 Cr #COVID19 vaccine doses administered.https://t.co/r0DeIRrF5j pic.twitter.com/28kgypXKJ4

  — Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 8, 2021

  India records highest single day vaccination with over 1.6 million doses administered on Monday, the Union health ministry said. With this, cumulative vaccinations crossed 22 million.

• MAR 08, 2021 08:50 PM IST

  Punjab reports 1,239 new Covid-19 cases, 14 deaths

  Punjab reports 1,239 new #COVID19 cases, 692 recoveries and 14 deaths today.
  
  Total cases: 1,89,620
  Total recoveries: 1,75,659
  Death toll: 5,941
  Active cases: 8,020 pic.twitter.com/S4luv5LzGY

  — ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2021

  With 1,239 new Covid-19 cases and 14 related deaths, Punjab's tally reached 189,620 cases and 5,941 deaths, reports ANI.

• MAR 08, 2021 08:29 PM IST

  Maharashtra reports 8,744 new Covid-19 cases; Mumbai reports 1,014

  Maharashtra reported 8,744 new Covid-19 cases and 22 deaths on Monday, taking the state's tally to 2,228,471 cases and 52,500 deaths. Also, Mumbai reported 1,014 new cases and four deaths.

• MAR 08, 2021 07:57 PM IST

  TN reports 556 new Covid-19 cases, 3 deaths

  Tamil Nadu reports 556 new #COVID19 cases, 532 recoveries and three deaths today.
  
  Total cases: 8,55,677
  Total recoveries: 8,39,138
  Death toll: 12,521
  
  Active cases: 4,018 pic.twitter.com/I29mC0QrL5

  — ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2021

  Tamil Nadu reported 556 new Covid-19 cases and three related deaths, taking the state's tally to 855,677 cases and 12,521 deaths, reports ANI.

  Also, with 532 new recoveries, the death toll reached 12,521.

• MAR 08, 2021 06:24 PM IST

  Minister of State VK Singh receives first dose of Covid-19 vaccine

  Ghaziabad: MoS (Road Transport & Highways) Gen (Retd) VK Singh took his first dose of #COVID19 vaccine at Yashoda Hospital today. pic.twitter.com/vZbBVA1gm4

  — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 8, 2021

  Minister of State for road transport and highways Gen (Retd) VK Singh received his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, reports ANI.

• MAR 08, 2021 06:09 PM IST

  Andhra Pradesh reports 74 new Covid-19 cases, 2 deaths in last 24 hours

  Andhra Pradesh reports 74 new #COVID19 cases, 61 recoveries and 2 deaths in the last 24 hours.
  
  Total cases 8,90,766
  Total recoveries 8,82,581
  Death toll 7176
  
  Active cases 1009 pic.twitter.com/1194kQMjGv

  — ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2021

  Andhra Pradesh reported 74 new Covid-19 cases and two related deaths in the past 24 hours taking the tally to 890,766 cases and 7,176 deaths, reports ANI.

• MAR 08, 2021 06:07 PM IST

  Syrian President Bashar Assad, wife test positive for Covid-19

  Syrian President Bashar Assad and his wife have tested positive for Covid-19 according to the president's office, reports the Associated Press.

  A statement from the office had said that the president and the first lady are exhibiting mild symptoms and are expected to return to work after two or three weeks of isolation.

• MAR 08, 2021 04:19 PM IST

  Delhi reports 239 new Covid-19 cases, 3 deaths in last 24 hours

  Delhi reports 239 new #COVID19 cases, 309 recoveries, and three deaths in the last 24 hours
  
  Total cases: 6,41,340
  Total recoveries: 6,28,686
  Death toll: 10,924
  Active cases: 1,730 pic.twitter.com/QpKgXc93vZ

  — ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2021

  With 239 new Covid-19 cases and three related deaths, Delhi's Covid-19 tally reached 641,340 cases and 10,924 deaths, reports ANI.

• MAR 08, 2021 12:44 PM IST

  86.25% new Covid-19 cases in 6 states: Govt

  Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are the six states that cumulatively account for 86.25 per cent of the new coronavirus cases reported in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Monday.

  Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 11,141, followed by Kerala with 2,100 and Punjab with 1,043 new infections, the ministry said.

• MAR 08, 2021 10:31 AM IST

  Japan Covid-19 inoculations off to snail pace start due to vaccine, syringe shortages

  Japan's Covid-19 inoculation campaign is moving at a glacial pace, hampered by a lack of supply and a shortage of specialty syringes that underscore the enormous challenge it faces in its aim to vaccinate every adult by the year's end.

  Since the campaign began three weeks ago, just under 46,500 doses had been administered to frontline medical workers as of Friday.

• MAR 08, 2021 09:33 AM IST

  India's sees 18,599 fresh Covid-19 cases, 97 deaths in last 24 hours

  India on Monday recorded 18,599 fresh cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours, according to an update released by the union health ministry. With this, the country's overall tally reached 11,229,398.

• MAR 08, 2021 07:43 AM IST

  2nd part of Parliament's Budget session from Monday; curtailment on cards due to Assembly polls

  The second part of the Budget session of Parliament is set to begin from Monday but its duration is likely to be curtailed as most top politicians would be busy campaigning for assembly polls taking place in March-April.

  As of now, the session will conclude on April 8.

  Sources said parties across the board support curtailing the session in view of polls in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. However, an official decision is yet to be taken.

• MAR 08, 2021 07:42 AM IST

  'Havan' of cow dung cake can keep house sanitised for 12 hours: MP minister

  Madhya Pradesh Culture Minister Usha Thakur on Sunday stressed the need for adopting Vedic lifestyle for protection against coronavirus, and claimed that 'havan' (ritual burning) of a cow dung cake can keep a house sanitised for 12 hours.

  She was speaking during a function at the Indore Press Club.

  "In order to combat the Covid-19 outbreak, Vedic lifestyle has its own role to play along with allopathy. The pandemic has sent out a message that we have to return to the Vedic lifestyle," Thakur said.