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India recorded its highest number of daily Covid-19 cases - 126,789 - on Thursday as its fight to curtail a renewed wave of infections is beset by vaccine shortages in several states and cities, including Mumbai.
A 13-fold increase in cases in just over two months is also raising pressure on the Central government to expand its vaccination campaign.
Some states, including hardest-hit Maharashtra and Odisha, have complained of a scarcity of vaccines during a second wave that has forced some centres to turn away people.
Vaccination was halted in parts of Maharashtra on Wednesday evening after doses were unavailable, reported NDTV. Among the districts that stopped giving shots were Satara, Panvel and Pune.
"Vaccination drive temporarily halted in all government and private inoculation centres in Panvel due to unavailability of #COVID19 vaccines. Centres will be reopened once vaccines are back in stock," said the Panvel Municipal Corporation in a notice, according to ANI.
Pune also shut 109 centres because of vaccine shortage, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule tweeted.
Maharashtra has been reporting the highest number of daily cases in the country. On Wednesday, it logged 59,907 new Covid-19 cases and 322 deaths in 24 hours.
Earlier on Wednesday, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope flagged fast-depleting stocks and said the state would run out of vaccines within three days.
"Stocks of vaccine in the state remain only for three days," he told NDTV. "We have requested the centre to send more vaccine."
Odisha said it had closed nearly half of its immunisation sites due to the shortfall, with supplies left only for two more days.
India has recorded 12.8 million Covid-19 cases, the most after the United States and Brazil. Deaths from Covid-19 rose by 630 on Wednesday - the highest in four days - to 166,177.
Many states have criticised the Central government for the increasing numbers as it has restricted India's immunisation drive to some 400 million of its 1.35 billion people.
So far 86 million doses have been administered, but, with the contagion accelerating, the country is racing to increase immunity.
India's health minister said the complaints, mostly from states not ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party, were attempts to cover up their failures and spread panic. "Vaccine supplies are being monitored on a real-time basis and state governments are being apprised regularly about it," Mr Harsh Vardhan said. "Allegations of vaccine shortage are utterly baseless."
However, in an attempt to ramp up vaccination amid rising infections, the health ministry has allowed workplaces - in both public and private sectors to organise vaccination sessions for their employees from April 11.
However, only employees aged 45 years and above can get vaccinated.
Experts blame the country's fresh wave on people ignoring guidelines and attending huge religious and political events, as well as weddings and cricket matches in recent months.
The increasing numbers saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state Gujarat become the latest to tighten Covid-19 curbs.
Maharashtra has imposed a night curfew and weekend lockdowns are due to begin today. New Delhi imposed night curfews from Tuesday
Gujarat extended after-dark restrictions to 20 cities and banned large social and political gatherings.
Punjab ordered a ban on political gatherings and extended a night curfew to the whole state while capping numbers at indoor funerals and weddings to 50 guests.
But even the lengthening shadow of the pandemic won't apparently stop the Indian Premier League, cricket's most popular tournament, from starting in Chennai today.
The 60-match event will be held at six venues across the country.
"We did it successfully in Dubai last year. We are confident we are going to do it again this time," said Indian cricket board chief Sourav Ganguly.
Reuters, AFP
"Stocks of vaccine in the state remain only for three days. We have requested the Centre to send more vaccine."
- Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday
