Coronavirus cases in India today: Over 18,000 new patients; Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab report spike

The total number of cases of Coronavirus in the country has increased by 18,327 on Friday, taking the total Covid-19 cases to 1,11,92,088 since the beginning of the outbreak last year. The latest daily Covid-19 figures were issued by the Union Health Ministry in its daily brief. In addition to the increasing cases of Coronavirus, a total of 108 Covid-19 related deaths were also reported in various parts of the country on Friday, taking the death toll to a total of 1,57,656.

As the cases of Coronavirus have increased in a number of states including Kerala and Maharashtra, the number of new Coronavirus cases outstripped the number of discharges on Friday by close to 4000. While about 18k cases were reported on Friday, only 14,234 discharges were reported on the same day. The number of total active Coronavirus cases in the country is also increasing due to a spike in daily cases and has now reached 1,80,304. In addition to the states of Kerala and Maharashtra which are witnessing another wave of Coronavirus cases in the country, the Northern state of Punjab has also been reporting more than 1000 new cases in the last couple of days. On Thursday the state registered a total of 1071 new cases which was the highest number since October 13.

In comparison to Covid-19 tally on Thursday, the country reported a hike of about 2000 cases on Friday. The daily new cases registered on Thursday were 16,838 which increased to 18,327 on Friday. Even as the number of cases of Coronavirus increases in the country, the second phase of Coronavirus vaccination is also making big strides in vaccinating elder population of the country in various private and government hospitals across the country. India started its second phase of Coronavirus vaccination on March 1 under which senior citizens(above 60) and those above 45 and suffering from co-morbidities like Diabetes, heart ailments are being inoculated.