Mumbai : Maharashtra on Monday became the first Indian state to administer both does of Covid-19 vaccine to 10 million citizens. The state, on Monday, recorded 4,877 fresh infections, even as its tally of fully vaccinated citizens reached 10,099,524. The total number of doses administered in state has touched 41,766,482.

“Maharashtra has once again achieved an important milestone. We have till now administered first doses to 31,666,958 people. Today [Monday], in this vaccination drive, we managed to reach the figure of vaccinating more than one crore (10 million) people with two doses,” said Dr Pradeep Vyas, additional chief secretary, public health, Maharashtra. Dr Ameet Mandot, director, Gut Clinic, said vaccination is the only solution to counter the Covid-19 pandemic.“We need to use the carrot-and-stick approach and encourage more people to vaccinate themselves,” said Dr Mandot. “People who are fully vaccinated should be given relaxations like permission to travel in trains or conducting their businesses,” he added. The state has been asking for a monthly quota of 30 million from the Central government to vaccinate as many citizens as possible. The Maharashtra legislature even passed a resolution recently demanding 30 million doses every month on the plea that it has the infrastructure to undertake this feat. State health minister Rajesh Tope said that maximum vaccinations will be an effective tool to fight the impending third wave of the pandemic. Mumbai, on Monday, recorded 297 new cases and eight deaths, with the toll reaching 15,845. The total number of Covid-19 cases is now 6,269,799. There were 148,138 tests administered on Monday, while the number of recoveries were 11,077.

The total number of active patients in Maharashtra currently stands at 88,729, while the total number of deaths has now reached 131,605. Pune tops the list in Maharashtra with 15,550 active patients, followed by Thane with 11,321 active patients. The death toll in Maharashtra has now reached 131,605, with Pune leading with 18,384 deaths.