New Delhi, May 15 (PTI) A total of 17.14 lakh coronavirus vaccine doses were administered on Saturday and the number of jabs given in the country so far rose to 18.22 crore, the Health Ministry said.

According to the ministry, 5.58 lakh beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group received their first dose and 48.22 lakh such people got the shot across the country since the start of the Phase 3 vaccination drive.

On Day 120 of the vaccination drive on May 15, 17,14,247 vaccine doses were given. It includes 11.19 lakh beneficiaries for the first dose and 5.95 lakh for the second, the ministry said in a statement.

The total number of doses rose to 18,21,99,668, it said.

Out of the total beneficiaries, 96.42 lakh workers have taken the first dose and 66.41 lakh such people got the second; 1.44 crore frontline workers got the first jab, while 81.86 lakh such beneficiaries got the second.

Among the 45-60 age group, 5.72 crore people got the first dose and 90.63 lakh got the second.

Among those above 60 years, 5.45 crore people took the first dose and 1.78 crore got the second.

"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. PTI

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)