Daily Covid cases count crosses 80000 mark as 'second wave' sweeps India

At 81,441, the number of cases reported across India on Friday were the most in a day since October 2, 2020

India on Friday reported 81,441 new coronavirus cases--the most in a day since October 2--and 468 deaths from the disease, as a second wave of the pandemic sweeps through the country’s urban centres. Mumbai saw its biggest single-day spike of nearly 8,700 cases, Delhi’s tally grew by about 2,800.

A day earlier, India opened its Covid-19 vaccination programme to everyone older than 45 years, hoping the inoculations would slow down the second wave that began around the second half of February with infections spiking in Maharashtra. Infection surges in the past few weeks mirror India’s biggest cities being overrun with