India's total Covid-19 cases have passed 18 million after another world record daily infection and death tally and as the government rejected reports of problems with its vaccine campaign.
India reported 379,257 new Covid-19 cases and 3,645 new deaths today, according to health ministry data. It was the deadliest day so far for any country hit by the pandemic.
India's best hope to curb its second wave of Coivd-19 was to vaccinate its vast population, said experts, and yesterday it opened registrations for everyone above the age of 18 to be given jabs from Saturday.
But the country, which is one of the world's biggest producers of vaccines, does not have the stocks for the estimated 600 million people becoming eligible.