India recorded 1,34,154 new COVID-19 cases and 2,887 associated fatalities in the last 24 hours, with the majority of cases coming from Tamil Nadu, which contributed almost 25,000 new infections.
Around 486 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Delhi, the lowest number in over two and a half months.
Though the overall infection rate is decreasing, the virus continues to spread. As a result, relaxing of the COVID-19 limitation is only being considered in a few states across the country.
Karnataka, for instance, has prolonged the lockdown from June 7 to June 14 to combat the spread of the infection.
In an effort to end the pandemic worldwide, the United States said on Thursday that it will distribute 80 million COVID-19 vaccines to countries in need.
“Today, we’re providing more detail on how we will allocate the first 25 million of those vaccines to lay the ground for increased global coverage and to address real and potential surges, high burdens of disease, and the needs of the most vulnerable countries," President Joe Biden said in a statement on Thursday.
"At least 75 percent of these doses—nearly 19 million—will be shared through COVAX, including approximately 6 million doses for Latin America and the Caribbean, approximately 7 million for South and Southeast Asia, and approximately 5 million for Africa, working in coordination with the African Union and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The remaining doses, just over 6 million, will be shared directly with countries experiencing surges, those in crisis, and other partners and neighbors, including Canada, Mexico, India, and the Republic of Korea," he said.
"We are sharing these doses not to secure favors or extract concessions. We are sharing these vaccines to save lives and to lead the world in bringing an end to the pandemic, with the power of our example and with our values," Biden added.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris talked with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and informed that the US will begin providing vaccinations with India by the end of June.
“I deeply appreciate the assurance of vaccine supplies to India as part of the US Strategy for Global Vaccine Sharing,” Prime Minister Modi thanked the US for its support and solidarity in a tweet.
