2nd Covid-19 wave in India: vaccination for all above age 45 begins

India widened the Covid-19 vaccination coverage by starting inoculation of all above the age of 45 from today.

Earlier the country's vaccination phases covered people above the age of 60, those above 45 with comorbidities, medical professionals and frontline workers.

The country reported a sharp spike of 72,330 new cases in the last 24 hours (till this morning), reports our New Delhi correspondent.

The latest surge took the nationwide tally of cases to 12,221,665, according to the health ministry data.

The virus has claimed 459 more lives in the 24-hour timeframe, taking the death toll to 1,62,927.

India has been recording a significant rise in the number of new Covid-19 cases in the last few weeks, which has been termed as the second wave of the infection by experts.

The need for expanding the scope of vaccination for 45-plus people was essential as nearly 88 percent of deaths due to Covid-19 in the country have taken place in this age group, the health ministry said last week.

So far, at least 6.43 crore vaccine doses have been administered across India since the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination began on January 16.