NEW DELHI – India on Sunday recorded more than 392,000 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, hiking the total number of cases to 19.5 million, official figures reveal.
Figures show that the national capital of New Delhi registered 25,219 cases and a record number of 412 deaths. The worst affected state of Maharashtra saw more than 63,000 cases and 802 deaths.
Amid the exponential rise in cases and deaths, which has nearly brought health systems to a collapse, the country started vaccinating everyone on Saturday above the age of 18.
Several states, however, citing vaccine shortage, have announced a delay in the rollout of the vaccination drive. The government has begun receiving aid from different nations. It said that it is looking to soon receive oxygen generating plants and oxygen concentrators from abroad.
The country has been facing a huge shortage of oxygen in hospitals that has led to patient deaths.
Twelve patients died on Saturday as oxygen ran out in a New Delhi hospital. (Anadolu)