India reported 46,951 new COVID-19 cases, 21,180 recoveries and 212 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry on Monday. With this, the total cases mounted to 1,16,46,081, including 3,34,646 active cases and 1,11,51,468 total recoveries. The total death toll escalated to 1,59,967 including the new deaths.  However, as a sign of relief, the total COVID-19 vaccination count has touched more than 4.5 crore (4,50,65,998), as per the Union Ministry till 8 am on Monday. 

“Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh account for 77.7 per cent of the new cases in the last 24 hours,” read the press release by the Ministry yesterday. “Seventeen states/UTs have not reported any COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours. These are Rajasthan, Assam, Goa, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Jharkhand, Lakshadweep, Sikkim, Puducherry, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Nagaland, Tripura, Ladakh (UT), Manipur, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Arunachal Pradesh,” informed Ministry yesterday. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Friday, while speaking in Lok Sabha, said no one should have any doubts about the COVID-19 vaccines. He also urged everyone to take the vaccine doses without fear. Agencies