COVID-19 vaccination coverage in India crosses 2.56 crores

NEW DELHI: The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination has crossed 2.56 crores coverage, the union health ministry informed on Thursday evening.

“A total of 2,56,90,545 vaccine doses were administered in the country, as per the provisional report till 1 pm on Thursday,” Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan informed during the weekly press conference of the ministry here.

“Acceleration in vaccination has been achieved with the active collaboration of private facilities. 71 per cent of the total number of doses are administered in public health facilities and almost 29 per cent has been contributed by private facilities,” Bhushan said.

AEFI (Adverse event following immunisation) reported so far are 0.020 per cent of the total immunisation done.

Bhushan further said, “Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Mumbai, Bengaluru urban, Ernakulam, Amravati, Jalgaon, Nasik and Aurangabad districts have the highest number of active cases.”

“Maharashtra has more than one lakh active cases. Out of 10 districts with the highest number of COVID-19 active cases in the country, eight are from Maharashtra,” he said.

“Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana are at the tipping point. We have had three meetings with these states where they have been told to pull up their socks,” he added.

Daily new deaths (seven-day moving average) remains low despite rise in COVID-19 active cases.

India reported 22,854 new COVID-19 cases, 18,100 recoveries, and 126 deaths in the last 24 hours. The cumulative cases in the country reached 1,12,85,561 including 1,89,226 active cases and 1,09,38,146 recoveries.

The death toll due to COVID-19 has mounted to 1,58,189, the health ministry said on Thursday morning. (AGENCY)