Centre records 26,291 new COVID-19 infections in 24 hrs, Coronavirus cases continue to rise in Maharashtra

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New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Health recorded 26,291 COVID-19 infections, taking the case tally to 1,13,85,339 on Monday (March 15).

In the latest update, as many as 2,99,08,038 doses of the vaccine have been administered across the country so far. The Centre has encouraged the states to increase the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine and get as many people inoculated as possible to stop the current surge in infections

Maharashtra has witnessed the highest single-day spike of COVID-19 cases on Sunday (March 14). Besides imposing fines to enforce guidelines, CM Uddhav Thackeray has also imposed partial lockdowns in several regions.

The death toll increased to 1,58,725 on Monday (March 15) with 118 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recovered from the disease surged to 1,10,07,352.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. 

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 22,74,07,413 samples had been tested up to March 14 with 7,03,772 being tested on Sunday.

Maharashtra recorded this year's highest one-day spike of 16,620 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, which pushed the overall caseload to 23,14,413. While 50 deaths pushed the toll to 52,861, the health department said.