India posted 196 427 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours on Tuesday, its lowest daily rise in infections since April 14, while deaths from Covid-19 rose by 3 511.
The country's overall case load now stands at 26.95 million, while total fatalities are at 307 231, according to health ministry data.
Barely 3% of the country's 1.3 billion people have been vaccinated, the lowest rate among the 10 countries with the most Covid-19 cases, leaving India and its ill-equipped healthcare system vulnerable to a potential third wave, experts say.
The Serum Institute of India, which is supplying the AstraZeneca vaccine, and local firm Bharat Biotech which is providing Covaxin, have both said they are ramping up production but the supply remains far short of the millions of doses India needs.
The 196 427 new coronavirus cases are less than half the 414 188 peak reported on May 7. The country's overall officially recorded case load since the start of the pandemic now stands at 26.95 million.
There are serious concerns that many new infections are not being reported, due to a dearth of testing in the countryside, where the virus has spread to from the cities.
Reuters