With 3.6 lakh new infections, 3,293 fatalities, India sees biggest rise in single-day cases, deaths; toll crosses 2L

India touched the grim mark of 2 lakh Covid-19 deaths with 3,293 more deaths recorded on Wednesday.

The country logged a rise of 3,60,960 single-day Covid cases, on the upward trajectory again after a day of a slight dip.

The nation's total infection tally has climbed to 1,79,97,267, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

The death toll mounted to 2,01,187 with 3,293 new fatalities, the data updated showed.

The active case count has increased to 29,78,709.

Read | Indian Covid variant found in at least 17 countries: WHO

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 28,27,03,789 samples have been tested up to April 27 with 17,23,912 samples being tested on Tuesday.

The 3,293 new fatalities include 895 from Maharashtra, 381 from Delhi, 264 from Uttar Pradesh, 246 from Chhattisgarh, 180 from Karnataka, 170 from Gujarat, 131 from Jharkhand, 121 from Rajasthan and 100 from Punjab.

The total 2,01,187 deaths reported so far in the country include 66,179 from Maharashtra, 15,009 from Delhi, 14,807 from Karnataka, 13,728 from Tamil Nadu, 11,678 from Uttar Pradesh, 11,082 from West Bengal, 8,630 from Punjab, 7,800 from Andhra Pradesh and 7,782 from Chhattisgarh.

The health ministry said more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

Experts believe the official tally vastly under-estimates the actual toll in the country of 1.3 billion.

In the capital, New Delhi, ambulances lined up for hours to take Covid-19 victims to makeshift crematorium facilities in parks and parking lots, where bodies burned on rows of funeral pyres.

Read | Covid-19 overwhelms India: 'People are just dying, dying and dying!'

Coronavirus sufferers — many struggling for breath — flocked to a Sikh temple on the outskirts of the city, hoping to secure some of the limited supplies of oxygen available there.

Police said a fire early on Wednesday at a hospital on the outskirts of Mumbai killed four people and injured several more.

Accidents at hospitals have been of grave concern for the country which is running short of beds and oxygen supplies. Last week a fire broke out at a hospital treating Covid-19 patients and a leaking oxygen tank at another hospital led to the deaths of 22 people.

Supplies of life-saving oxygen and equipment have begun arriving in New Delhi, including ventilators and oxygen concentrators from Britain, with more dispatched from Ireland, Germany and Australia.

Several countries have suspended flights from India, taking steps to keep out more virulent variants of the virus. US President Joe Biden said he had spoken at length with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including as to when the United States would be able to ship vaccines to the country and said it was his clear intention to do so.

"I think we'll be in a position to be able to share, share vaccines as well as know-how with other countries who are in real need. That's the hope and expectation," he told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.

Across the country, 1,48,17,371 people have recuperated from the disease so far.

(With inputs from agencies)