Massive Covid-19 case surge across the country: What you need to know

The second wave of the outbreak is dangerously expanding throughout the country when the vaccination drive has finally started gathering momentum

Updated on: Apr 2, 2021, 10:26:02 IST

By HT Correspondent | Edited by Sameer

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Mumbai on Thursday set a new all-time record of daily infections in any city with 8,646 fresh Covid-19 cases as the second wave of the disease continued to push cases to levels not seen in the country in at least six months. Here is all you need to know about the spike in the cases nationally:

• Delhi recorded 2,790 cases, the highest in 114 days

• 81,413 infections were reported across India, the highest single-day increase since October 1, 2020.

• India’s highest single-day caseload earlier was 99,181 on September 10.

• The massive infection surges in urban centres across the country in the past few days are reminiscent of how massive pockets of infection hotbeds emerged in several metropolitan cities during India’s first Covid-19 wave from July to September last year.

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• The second wave of the outbreak is dangerously expanding throughout the country when the vaccination drive has finally started gathering momentum.

• India on Thursday opened its Covid-19 vaccination programme to everyone over the age of 45.

• Experts and government officials alike have repeatedly stressed that a massive and widespread inoculation drive is the best, and perhaps the only chance the country has to turn the tide against the building second wave of infections, which is particularly dangerous because of the threat of new variants.

• At the same time, experts have called for more curbs on gatherings, functions, marketplaces, and public congregations.

• Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has called for an urgent meeting to review the city’s Covid-19 situation on Friday.

• An action plan to be discussed in Friday’s meeting will include issues such as containment zones, the vaccination drive, availability of hospital beds, and enforcement against violators of Covid-appropriate behaviour.

• Imposing restrictions on public gatherings and public places in the city will also be discussed.

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