India recorded 1,68,912 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the sixth record rise in seven days, pushing the country’s caseload to over 1.35 crore.
The active cases have surpassed the 12-lakh mark, while the death toll increased to 1,70,179 with 904 daily new fatalities, the highest since October 18, the data updated at 8 am on Monday by the Union Health Ministry showed.
Registering a steady increase for the 33rd day in row, the active cases have increased to 12,01,009 comprising 8.88 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 89.86 per cent.
Kumbh Mela on in full swing, official says difficult to maintain social distancing at ghats
A stampede-like situation may arise if police try to enforce social distancing at ghats during the ongoing Kumbh Mela, Inspector General Sanjay Gunjyal said.
“We are continuously appealing to people to follow COVID appropriate behaviour. But due to the huge crowd, it is practically not possible to issue challans today. It is very difficult to ensure social distancing at ghats,” he told news agency ANI. “A stampede-like situation may arise if we would try to enforce social distancing at ghats so we are unable to enforce social distancing here.”
On Monday, hundreds of devotees took a dip in river Ganga at Har Ki Pauri in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar on the occasion of the second ‘shahi snan’ in Kumbh.
Supreme Court staff test positive
Supreme Court benches would sit one hour late from their scheduled time in the morning on Monday as many staffers have tested positive for coronavirus, sources said.
They said that as many staffers have got infected, the judges would hold courts through video conferencing from their residences.
The entire court premises, including courtrooms, are being sanitised, they said.