Zoom News : Jan 17, 2021, 04:27 PM
New Delhi: India on Saturday inoculated close to two lakh people in a Covid-19 vaccination drive, touted as the world's biggest by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The outbreak of the disease has torpedoed economies and tested the mettle of the public health system globally.A total of 3,352 sessions were held and 1,91,181 beneficiaries were vaccinated as per the provisional reports. Around 3,429 beneficiaries were vaccinated in defence institutions and as many as 16,755 personnel were actively involved in organising the immunisation session sites, the Union health ministry said.Here are the top ten states and union territories which have the highest beneficiaries:Uttar PradeshA total of 21,291 healthcare workers at the frontline of India's Covid-19 battle got their first jabs in UP on Saturday. According to health officials, Covid-19 vaccination programmes were organised at 317 centres in all districts of UP.Andhra PradeshA total of 18,412 healthcare workers were administered the coronavirus vaccine on the first day in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday. "Five cases of AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) were reported in Kurnool district. One minor AEFI was reported in Anantapuramu district and two in SPS Nellore district," the health commissioner said in a release but did not specify the nature of the after-affects.MaharashtraMore than 18,328 health workers were vaccinated at 285 centres across Maharashtra. No Covid-19 vaccination sessions were planned on January 17-18 and they will continue from the next week as per the Central government's guidelines, the state health department clarified. At present, there are 53,344 active coronavirus infections, 18,81,088 recovered and 50,336 succumbed to the disease.BiharBihar on Saturday vaccinated 18,169 people in the Covid-19 vaccination drive. The drive kicked off in the state with five staff members of a super speciality government hospital becoming the first ones to receive the shots in presence of chief minister Nitish Kumar.OdishaMore than 13,000 health care workers were vaccinated in Odisha. Around 81 per cent (13,746) of the targeted beneficiaries on Saturday turned out at designated centres across Odisha to receive the Covid-19 vaccine as the state government rolled out the inoculation drive, an official said.The exercise began at about 11 am, immediately after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the programme in New Delhi.KarnatakaNearly 62 per cent of the designated frontline workers were administered the Covid-19 vaccine in the first phase of the vaccination drive in Karnataka on Saturday, informed state health minister K Sudhakar.The state government had earmarked 21,658 people for the first day of the Covid-19 vaccination programme out of which 13,594 have been successfully vaccinated.GujaratGujarat ranks as the seventh-highest in terms of beneficiaries after 10,787 people were inoculated in the state. The authorities conducted 161 sessions on Saturday.West BengalA total of 9,730 healthcare beneficiaries were vaccinated in the state on Saturday, out of which 14 cases of AEFI were reported including one serious case (condition stable) of AEFI admitted at NRS Medical College, the West Bengal Health Department said.West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has requested the Centre to supply an adequate number of vaccines for not only the frontline workers but also for all people of the state.RajasthanMore than 12,000 beneficiaries registered in Rajasthan received the vaccine on the first day of the Covid-19 vaccination campaign on Saturday, official data showed.Against a set target of 16,613 health workers, 9,279 health workers were administered the vaccine.Madhya PradeshThe state administered the vaccine to 9,219 health care workers on Saturday. Madhya Pradesh also reported a technical glitch in the Co-WIN app.