India records 35,871 new Covid-19 cases, highest daily spike this year

India on Thursday registered 35,871 new cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), pushing the cumulative tally past 11,474,605 in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

The country has recorded more than 20,000 cases for the eighth day in a row, indicating a sharp rise in cases and a likely second wave.

The active caseload in the country, increasing for a week now, was logged at 252,364 on Thursday. This accounts for 2.05 % of the total cases. The death toll soared to 159,216 with 172 new fatalities, the highest in around two months.

Maharashtra, India's worst affected state by the viral disease, has been driving the country's tally as it saw 23,179 Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, the highest single-day infection count so far in 2021. 

This was the sixth-highest one-day spike of infection cases in the state since the pandemic began last year.

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