India / Over ₹1,800 cr sent to states, UTs to fight COVID-19: Union Health Min

New Delhi: Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday said that the Centre has disbursed ₹1827.8 crore to states and Union territories (UTs) to fight against coronavirus disease (Covid-19). He said this is 15 per cent of the 'Emergency Covid Response Package' sanctioned by the central government.

" ₹1,827.80 crore (15 per cent of the total amount of 'Emergency Covid Response Package') fixed by the Central Government to fight against Covid-19 has been sent to the states and UTs," the Union health minister said on Twitter.

According to the Union health ministry, more than 31.4 million unutilised Covid-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states, union territories and private hospitals to be administered.

The ministry said that over 487.8 million vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far through all sources and further 68,57,590 doses are in the pipeline. Of this, the total consumption including wastage is 45,82,60,052 doses.

With a single-day rise of 41,649 new cases, India's Covid-19 tally climbed to 3,16,13,993 on Saturday, while the death toll due to the viral disease shot up to 4,23,810 with 593 more people succumbing to it, the Union health ministry said.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), meanwhile, said that 17,76,315 tests were conducted on Friday to detect the infection, taking the total number of such tests conducted so far in the nation to 46,64,27,038

The new phase of universalisation of Covid-19 vaccination started from June 21 this year. The nationwide vaccination drive started on January 16 this year.