India recorded 59,118 new cases of COVID-19 taking its tally to 1,18,46,652 while at least 257 persons died till Friday morning as the country battles the second wave of the virus.
Registering an increase for the sixteenth day in a row, active cases have now risen to more than 4.21 lakh with the new addition.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 23,86,04,638 samples have been tested up to March 25 with 11,00,756 samples being tested on Thursday. Official data shows prominent second waves of infection in six states — Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat, reported Press Trust of India.
A new double mutant variant of coronavirus has been identified in India, according to the Ministry of Health. A total of 206 cases of the double mutant variant (E484Q + L452R) have been detected in Maharashtra, the data shows. However, the Centre has said that there is no direct link of the new variant detected with the ongoing surge in the state.
