Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka continue to report a surge in daily new Covid cases, accounting for 85.51 per cent of fresh cases, the Union Health ministry said on Thursday, March 4.

A total of 17,407 new infections have been registered in a day.

Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 9,855. This is the highest number recorded in the state since October 18 when 10,259 new cases were reported.

It is followed by Kerala with 2,765 while Punjab reported 772 new cases. The total number of cases with the UK, South Africa and Brazil variants of SARS-CoV-2 in the country as on date has reached 242, the ministry said.

India‘s total Covid active caseload has reached 1,73,413 comprising 1.55 per cent of India’s total cases.

“Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh are showing a rise in active cases,” the ministry said.

Showcasing the change in active cases for states and UTs in a span of 24 hours, the ministry said Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and Assam witnessed a reduction in the active cases in 24 hours.