COVID-19 vaccine coverage exceeds 36.89 crore: Centre

India's cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 36.89 crores, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday. Cumulatively, more than 11.18 crore doses have been administered in the age group of 18-44 years, it said.

The ministry said over 40 lakh vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours.

On Day-174 of the vaccination drive (July 8), out of the total 40,23,173 vaccine doses that were given, 27,01,200 beneficiaries were vaccinated for the first dose and 13,21,973 beneficiaries received the second dose of vaccine.

As many as 20,31,634 vaccine doses were administered as the first dose and 1,79,901 vaccine doses were given as the second dose in the age group 18-44 years on Thursday.

Cumulatively, 10,84,53,590 persons in the age group 18-44 years across all states and UTs have received their first dose and a total of 33,79,213 have received their second.

Eight states-- Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Maharashtra -- have administered more than 50 lakh first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the age group of 18-44 years.

The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the ministry said.