Covid-19 India Updates: Daily Death Rate Drops Below 3,000; New Vaccine Order Placed

India reported less than 1.5 lakh new Covid-19 cases for the third day in a row, in a relief to the healthcare system battling the world’s second-largest outbreak.

Nearly 1.34 lakh people tested positive for the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, according to the Health Ministry's update as of 8 a.m. on June 3. Recoveries during the same period remained significantly higher at 2.11 lakh, taking active infections below 18 lakh.

Daily fatality rate dropped below 3,000 for the second time this week. 2,887 patients succumbed to the illness, taking the country’s total Covid death toll near 3.38 lakh.

Key Figures

• Total confirmed cases: 2,84,41,986
• Active cases: 17,13,413
• Total patients cured/discharged: 2,63,90,584
• Total deaths: 3,37,989
• Number of fresh cases in last 24 hours: 1,34,154
• One-day recoveries: 2,11,499
• One-day deaths: 2,887
• Total vaccination shots administered: 22,10,43,693

The Supreme Court asked the central government to review its vaccine policy while raising concerns over the procedure followed to procure and administer the doses.

The top court called paid vaccination for the 18-44 age group “prima facie arbitrary,” flagged concerns regarding the procurement and distribution of shots and questioned differential pricing. Further, the court pointed out that a vaccine policy relying solely on online registration will not be able to achieve the aim of universal immunisation, in light of the digital divide.