India records 2.59 lakh fresh COVID-19 cases, 1761 deaths in last 24 hours

Liberalised and accelerated Phase-3 strategy of COVID-19 vaccination from May 1 will let everyone above the age of 18 years to get vaccine.

On Tuesday, April 20, Union Health Ministry released the data of new COVID-19 cases in India, after that India saw another day with a large  surge.

Report released by the Union Health Ministry states that in the last 24 hours, India reported 2,59,170 new COVID-19 cases and 1,54,761 patients got discharge, while 1,761 people died of this deadly virus, and reached the milestone of highest single day deaths. Total active cases in India is now around 20.31 lakhs. Total death toll in India reached to 1,80,530.

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Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) also released a data that shows 26,94,14,035 samples were tested up to April 19 including 15,19,486 samples tested yesterday.

The total vaccinations across the country has crossed more than 12.69 crore mark today with more than 31.03 lakh vaccine doses administered.

The country has witnessed highest number of operational COVID Vaccination Centres today till date. Total 73,600 COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs) were operational, marking a rise of more than 28,600 operational Vaccination Centres (45,000 CVCs on an average are functional on any given day). Workplace vaccinations have also enabled such a high turnout of beneficiaries.

The cumulative number of COVID19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 12,69,56,032.

On April 20, in a meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi, an important decision of allowing vaccination to everyone above the age of 18 from 1st May has been taken. PM said that the Government has been working hard from over a year to ensure that maximum numbers of Indians are able to get the vaccine in the shortest possible of time. He added that India is vaccinating people at world record pace and we will continue this with even greater momentum.

India’s National Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy has been built on a systematic and strategic end-to-end approach, proactively building capacity across R&D, Manufacturing and Administration since April 2020. While pushing for scale and speed, it has simultaneously been anchored in the stability necessary to sustainably execute the World’s Largest Vaccination Drive.