New Delhi, March 29: India registered 68,020 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to 1,20,39,645, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Monday. This is the highest single-day surge in coronavirus cases in India this year and since October 16 last year. On Sunday, the country recorded 62,714 new coronavirus cases. India is witnessing a steep rise in new cases since March 16 when 24,492 cases were recorded. COVID-19 Surge in Maharashtra: CM Uddhav Thackeray Asks State Health Department to Prepare for Lockdown as People Continue to Violate Coronavirus Protocols.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 291 people died of COVID-19 infection in the past 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 1,61,843. With the discharge of 32,231 patients yesterday, a total of 1,13,55,993 people have been discharged so far. The number of active cases in the country rose by 35,498 to reach 5,21,808. One patient had migrated to another country. COVID-19 Surge in Maharashtra, Punjab of Grave Concern, Says Health Ministry.

A total of 9,13,319 samples were tested on Sunday, taking the cumulative sample testing till date 24,18,64,161. A total of 6,05,30,435 doses of coronavirus vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on January 16 after approval for 'Covishield' and 'Covaxin'.

Meanwhile, the overall number of global COVID-19 cases surpassed 127 million, while the deaths surged to more than 2.78 million on Monday. According to the Johns Hopkins University, the current global caseload and death toll stood at 127,092,284 and 2,782,944, respectively. The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 30,262,037 and 549,335, respectively.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 29, 2021 10:10 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).