
Indiarecorded theworld's highest daily tally of 3,32,730COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours on Thursday.
The previousrecordrise incaseswas in the United States, which had 297,430 newcaseson one day in January, though its infection rate has since fallen sharply.
According to theMinistry of HealthandFamily Welfare,2,263people died in the space of a day, takingIndia's cumulative toll to1,86,920. Meanwhile,1,93,279 people were discharged from the hospital in a single day.
With13,54,78,420 people being vaccinated in the world's largest inoculation drive,1,36,48,159 have recovered from the novel virus.
New, more infectious variants of the virus, in particular a "double mutant" variant that originated inIndia, have helped accelerate the surge.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government ordered an extensive lockdown in the early stages of the pandemic.
This week, Modi urged state governments to use lockdowns as a last resort. He asked people to stay indoors and said the government was working to expandoxygenand vaccine supplies. He cancelled a visit to West Bengal scheduled for Friday.
(With inputs from agencies)