NEW DELHI: India registered more than 1,200 new coronavirus cases for the third straight day, with 1,267 reported on Monday, but the percentage growth of the infection dipped from Sunday’s high of 10.3% to 7.3%.
As in the past few days, Maharashtra led the table with 466 fresh cases and nine deaths. It was followed by Gujarat (196 cases), Rajasthan (98) and UP (95). Delhi and Madhya Pradesh recorded 78 cases each. The total number of Covid-19 cases in the country stood at 18,589, as per reports from states at the time of going to press. The death toll stood at 595, with 35 Covid-19 patients succumbing to complications related to the infection on Monday.
The continuing rush of cases has fuelled concerns about the pandemic gradually peaking in India. ICMR’s chief epidemiologist Dr Raman Gangakhedkar said the situation will be clearer in the next one to two weeks.
Maharashtra and Delhi remain the worst affected states with 4,666 and 2,081 cases respectively, with Gujarat taking the third spot with a big spurt in recent days. Two more Covid-19-related deaths were recorded in Delhi on Monday, taking the capital’s toll to 47.
At 466, Maharashtra reco