Daily Covid count in India crosses 50k for first time since 6 November

New Delhi: India recorded a daily count of 53,476 coronavirus cases in a day, the highest in six months

According to a report by Indian Express, the daily count of cases crossed 50,000 for the first time since 6 November.

On Wednesday, 53,476 new infections were detected, of which Maharashtra reported 31,855, a new peak for the state.

Mumbai and Pune have both set new records for daily cases. Punjab, second-highest state with covid cases, reported 2,613 new infections. Active cases rise by more than 26,000 in a day, the highest record since the outbreak of the virus. There are total 3.95 lakh active cases in the country and 251 deaths reported on Thursday.

A new double mutant variant of coronavirus has been identified in India, according to the Ministry of Health. A total of 206 cases of the double mutant variant (E484Q + L452R) have been detected in Maharashtra, the data show. The Centre said there is no direct link of the new variant detected with the ongoing surge in the state.

While Gujarat, Pune, Delhi and Haryana have banned public celebrations of Holi, Mumbai has placed restrictions on the festival. The Uttar Pradesh government has issued a set of guidelines asking senior citizens and vulnerable groups to stay away from celebrations and said no processions or gatherings will be allowed without prior administrative permission.