
India's Covid caseload surged to 1.45 crore cases on Saturday.
India's Covid caseload surged to 1.45 crore cases on Saturday with 2,34,692 fresh infections - the sharpest-ever daily spike - as the country recorded over 2 lakh cases for the third straight day. 1,341 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours as the country saw deadliest day of pandemic this year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed that annual Kumbh Mela "should now only be symbolic" amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, stressing that it will give a boost to fight against the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra and Delhi on Friday reported their biggest ever single-day surge in coronavirus cases, according to government data.
While Delhi reported 19,486 Covid cases in the last 24 hours, Maharashtra logged 63,729 infections.
Here are the Live Updates on Coronavirus India Cases:
Delhi: Police check vehicular movement during ongoing Covid-induced weekend lockdown in the national capital.
- ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2021
Visuals from Connaught Place. pic.twitter.com/sxDCVxIkNJ
#COVID19 | Weekend lockdown imposed in the national capital, to continue till tomorrow morning (5 am)
- ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2021
Visuals from INA and Central Delhi pic.twitter.com/pQaU3unu9a
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday gave a dire warning, saying that the city was fast running out of beds, oxygen and the life-saving drug Remdesivir as it recorded an unprecedented 24,000 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours.
The positivity rate had reached a huge 24 per cent - meaning one in four of all people being tested were coming out positive, he said.
"The situation is very serious and worrisome," Mr Kejriwal said. "Cases have gone up really fast. That is why we are facing shortages even though everything seemed under control until a few days ago. But the speed at which this corona is growing, no one knows where its peak will be," he added.
"Any health infrastructure has limitations. The government is trying its best to increase the number of beds. I hope that we will be able to add 6,000 more beds in the next two to four days," he said.
Delhi led major cities across India into a weekend lockdown Saturday as the country confronts a fierce new coronavirus wave, with more than 2.3 lakh fresh daily cases that has left many states struggling for drugs and hospital beds.