India records close to 3 lakh new COVID-19 cases amid second wave of coronavirus

File Photo (Reuters)

New Delhi: The COVID-19 situation in India has continued to deteriorate amid the second wave of coronavirus, the data by the Union Ministry of Health suggested on Wednesday (April 21, 2021) morning.

India recorded 2,95,041 new coronavirus cases and 2,023 deaths in the last 24 hours, the highest ever since the pandemic broke out.

The country's total COVID-19 caseload has now increased to 1.56 crore (1,56,16,130), of which, 21.57 lakh (21,57,538) are active cases. India has also witnessed 1.82 lakh (1,82,553) coronavirus-related deaths.

Earlier on Tuesday, India had registered 2,59,170 new COVID-19 cases and 1,761 deaths. On Sunday, the country saw 2.61 lakh new cases followed by 2.73 lakh infections on Monday. 

This comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on the coronavirus situation where he also urged the states to not impose lockdown measures and that it should be the last resort. 

PM Modi also said that the Centre is working in tandem with the state governments to avail them of the requisite amount of vaccines, oxygen and medicines.

"This time the demand for oxygen has spiked in many parts. We are working on this. Centre, states and private sectors are trying to ensure every needy patient gets oxygen. New oxygen plants in states, using industrial oxygen for medical use, Oxygen Express - we are doing everything," he said.

India, the world's second-worst COVID-19-hit country after the United States, has been struggling to keep the second wave of the coronavirus wave under check and has been reporting more than two lakh cases for almost a week now.