India registered 346,786 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 2,624 casualties in the past 24 hours, the highest single-day spike in terms of cases and deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic, according to the data updated by India's Health Ministry on Saturday. The fresh addition took the total tally to 1,66,10,481 while the death toll soared to 189,544.

India, which is rattled by the second wave of the infection, has been found off-guard as it is struggling to cope up with the demands for oxygen.

Delhi, the national capital of the country, has reported shortages of oxygen supply allegedly leading to the deaths of COVID-19 patients in various hospitals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is facing massive national and international criticism over his handling of the pandemic, held a meeting with the chief ministers of 10 most-affected states on Friday.

In the meeting, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal pleaded to the Prime Minister for help over oxygen supply while Modi's other political rivals are training guns at him for the alleged COVID-19 mismanagement.

Above all, India, which has produced two COVID-19 vaccines, is also struggling to inoculate its people even months after the biggest vaccination drive kicked off.

Facing criticisms, the Modi government has stopped the export of vaccines to other countries as various health facilities are running out of it. 

With health experts are stating vaccines can prevent people from dying of Covid, the government decided to inoculate all people at the age of 18 or moral although independent experts are doubtful of India being able to meet the vaccine challenge of inoculating its 1.3 billion people when just over 1% of the population has been covered till now, and with 10% getting at least one jab.