India on Wednesday registered 47,262 new coronavirus cases, data from the Union health ministry showed. With this, India’s tally rose to 1,17,34,058. The toll climbed by 275 to 1,60,441.

There are 3,68,457 active cases now and 1,12,05,160 people have recovered from the infection. India has so far administered 5,08,41,286 Covid-19 vaccine shots with 23,46,692 jabs given on Tuesday alone.

A year ago, on March 24, India began a countrywide lockdown with just four-hours’ notice in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The lockdown lasted for nine weeks, and was then either partially or fully extended in different parts of the country. Though the Indian lockdown was considered the most severe in the world, India currently is the third-worst country in the world in terms of the number of infections and the fourth-worst in terms of the number of deaths.

India has been witnessing a surge in coronavirus cases in the past few weeks. On Tuesday, Delhi recorded 1,101 new coronavirus cases – its highest one-day count this year. The Capital’s overall tally rose to 6,49,973. Four more deaths took its toll to 10,967. The Delhi government banned public celebration of Holi and Navratri amid the rise in cases.

Maharashtra registered 28,699 new coronavirus cases, taking the overall count to 25,33,026. The state’s toll rose to 53,589 as 132 more new deaths were recorded. Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Dhananjay Munde again tested positive for COVID-19, reported NDTV. Rashmi Thackeray, the wife of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, has also contracted the virus.

Mumbai’s civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, banned Holi celebrations in public and private spaces amid the surge in cases. It said that strict action will be taken against those who flout the norms.

To control the spike in cases, the Centre has released new coronavirus-related guidelines, allowing states to impose restrictions at the district, sub-district and city, or ward levels based on their assessment of the situation.

Meanwhile, the Union health ministry said 795 people in India have been infected with the coronavirus variants, first detected in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil. The Centre also informed that it will kick off the third phase of the countrywide vaccination programme from April 1, in which those above the age of 45 will be eligible to receive the shots.

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