India registers 12,781 new COVID-19 cases, 18 deaths

New Delhi [India], June 20 (ANI): India reported 12,781 new COVID-19 cases and 18 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Monday.
India on Sunday reported 12,899 fresh COVID-19 cases and 15 fatalities.
Active cases in the country stand at 76,700 with a daily positivity rate of 4.32 per cent.
Cumulatively, India's COVID infection count has surged to 42,707,900 since March 2020 when the pandemic emerged in the country.
Of the fresh cases, Delhi reported 5542 fresh cases, Maharashtra reported 23746, Tamil Nadu reported 3522 and Uttar Pradesh reported 2540 new cases, according to Ministry.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday informed that more than 193.53 crore vaccine doses have been provided to States and Union Territories so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.
The government data further said that more than 12.75 crore balance and unutilized vaccine doses are still available with States and Union Territories.
"More than 193.53 crores (1,93,53,58,865) vaccine doses have been provided to States, UTs so far through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category. More than 12.75 crores (12,75,03,205) balance and unutilized COVID vaccine doses are still available with the States, UTs to be administered," the government data read.
The Central Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country. The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination started on January 16, 2021.
The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on June 21, 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through the availability of more vaccines, advanced visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.
As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them with COVID-19 vaccines free of cost. In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to States and UTs.
Meanwhile, a total of 196.18 crores of COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Amid the recent surge reported in COVID-19 cases across the country, the Health Ministry of India on June 9 urged States and Union Territories to not lower their guards and strictly maintain the COVID appropriate behaviour. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Thursday wrote a letter to States/UTs and directed them to ramp up RT-PCR testing, surveillance, clinical management, vaccination, COVID-19 protocols and take timely pre-emptive actions. Bhushan also advised the government to follow a 'five-fold Strategy'. (ANI)