New Delhi: India continues to witness a declining COVID curve as it recorded 1.27 lakh new infections. The Union Health Ministry confirmed 18,90,975 active individuals across the country. However, the mortality count spiked to 3,31,909 after 2,781 new deaths were reported.

The worst-hit state, Maharashtra, presented a declining COVID curve with the mortality rate at 1.66% and positivity rate at 16.39%. While Tamil Nadu erupted as the new contaminant zone reporting 27,936 cases of infections in a single day. 

The Health Ministry on Monday directed states to publish vaccination slots based on the availability of vaccines with digital platform COWIN offering the option to reschedule vaccine sessions. On the contrary, the Supreme Court on Monday flagged “various flaws” in the centre’s vaccine decisions, including those linked to pricing. Centre has said it aims to vaccinate the entire population by the end of 2021. Additionally, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday urged Rajasthan to probe reports of alleged wastage of the COVID vaccine in the state on priority even as the state government refuted the reports.  

 WHO on Monday declared B.1.617- COVID-19 variant first found in India- to be referred to as ‘ Delta Variant’.  As per WHO Chief Scientist, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, 91 nations across the globe have been severely affected by the seizure of vaccine export by the country.