COVID-19: India achieves highest single-day vaccination tally, administers 1.33 cr doses

In a landmark achievement, India on Tuesday, August 31, administered 1.33 crore COVID vaccine doses in a day. This became India’s highest ever vaccination tally in a single day. The country has now crossed the one crore vaccine mark twice in the last five days as it achieved the same for the first time on August 27.  With the achievement, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has now surpassed the cumulative figure of 65.41 crore.

India records its highest-ever vaccination tally

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Union Government is now in plans to continue the high figures. The ministry informed that the government is committed to further accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country. The ministry also said that the testing capacity across the country continues to be expanded.

As of yesterday, a total of 52.31 crore tests have been conducted so far in India. A total of 16,06,785 tests last 24 hours as the Weekly Positivity Rate stood at 2.58%. The rate has been less than 3% for the last 68 days now. The Daily Positivity rate stands at 2.61% and has remained below 5% for 86 consecutive days. The ministry further stated that the collaborative efforts by the Centre and the States/UTs continue to show the effect as India registered less than 50,000 fresh daily cases for the 66th consecutive day.

Emphasising the government’s commitment to accelerate the pace and expanding the scope of coronavirus vaccination, the health ministry said that the vaccine availability has been increased. “The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from 21st June 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them and streamlining the vaccine supply chain. The government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID Vaccines free of cost. In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID19 vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75% of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to States and UTs,” the press release said.

India's COVID situation

The country recorded 41,965 fresh cases of coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, according to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry. A total of 460 deaths were recorded in the same period taking the tally to 4,39,020. The total active cases stood at 3,78,181. Meanwhile, 33,964 recoveries were also reported taking total recoveries to 3,19,93,644.

IMAGE: AP/ UNSPLASH