Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: India Reports 46,951 Cases in Biggest 1-Day Surge Since November

Coronavirus News LIVE Updates: India registered 46,951 fresh coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the biggest single-day jump since November 7, taking the country’s tally to 1,16,46,081 amid concerns of a second wave of the pandemic. Of the total cases, over 1.11 crore people have recovered so far, and 1,59,97 total deaths have been recorded. In the last one week, India has seen the sharpest surge in fresh cases in nearly four months after the virus had seemed to ebb. Maharashtra, which has logged the highest number of cases since the start of the pandemic, yet again saw its biggest single-day jump in fresh cases. 30,535 new infections took the tally to 24,79,682. Punjab (2,644), Kerala (1,875), Karanataka (1,715) and Gujarat (1,580) were the other four states that saw that recorded the highest number of infections across the country in 24 hours, per the Health Ministry data.

Social distancing measures and face masks could be used “for years”, according to a leading epidemiologist. Public Health England’s head of immunisation, Mary Ramsay, said on Sunday “people have got used to those lower-level restrictions now, and people can live with them, and the economy can still go on with those less severe restrictions in place”. Warning the government must “look very carefully before any restrictions are lifted”, Dr Ramsay also said a return of big spectator events required careful monitoring and clear instructions about staying safe. “So, I think certainly for a few years, at least until other parts of the world are as well vaccinated as we are, and the numbers have come down everywhere, that is when we may be able to go very gradually back to a more normal situation,” she told the BBC.

Meanwhile, India continues to register a surge in Covid-19 cases with 43,846 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, sharpest daily high in nearly four months. The alarming spike in Covid-19 cases has prompted strict measures in states like Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan held the laxity shown by people in following safety protocols as the reason behind the recent surge and urged them not to let their guard down against the infection, else the situation may turn “dangerous”.