India on Sunday recorded 3,49,691 new cases of the novel coronavirus, along with 2,767 deaths due to the infection. According to the data shared by the Union Health Ministry, the country saw a total of 2,17,113 discharges in the last 24 hours, taking the total recovery toll to 1,40,85,110. The total cases of COVID-19 in India have now mounted to 1,69,60,172, with 26,82,751 active cases, the data showed. The total death toll in the country is now at 1,92,311. A total of 14,09,16,417 people have so far been vaccinated against COVID-19 in India. India has administered 14 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine in just 99 days, the fastest in the world, the Health Ministry said on Saturday. More than 24 lakh vaccine doses were administered on Saturday till 8 pm, the ministry said.The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 14,08,02,794, according to a provisional report at 8 pm.”India became the fastest country to administer 14 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine in just 99 days,” the ministry said. India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23 last year, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.India crossed the grim milestone of a total of 1.50 crore COVID-19 on April 19 this year.Meanwhile, the Biden administration has come under criticism from several quarters, including from members and supporters of the Democratic party, for not releasing surplus COVID-19 vaccines to India when the country is experiencing its worst-ever public health crisis.Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi urged the Biden administration to release doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to countries currently experiencing the deadly surge in COVID-19 cases.”When people in India and elsewhere desperately need help, we can’t let vaccines sit in a warehouse, we need to get them where they’ll save lives,” he said.
