New Delhi, May 8 (PTI) The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has exceeded 16.90 crore, the Union health ministry said on Saturday.

According to ministry data, 2,86,800 beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group were administered the first dose of the vaccine on Saturday, and cumulatively 17,76,540 people in the same age group received it across 30 states and union territories.

The total number of doses administered so far in the country stands at 16,92,98,763, the ministry said.

The beneficiaries include 95,39,865 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose and 64,61,868 HCWs who have taken the second dose; and 1,39,33,627 frontline workers (FLWs) who have received the first dose and 77,21,853 FLWs who have taken the second dose, it said.

Besides, 5,50,47,203 beneficiaries in the 45-60 age group have been administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 63,72,579 have been given the second dose while 5,36,24,623 and 1,48,20,605 people over 60 years have taken the first and second dose respectively, it added.

So far, Maharashtra has administered the maximum number of doses at 3,82,405 to beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group, followed by 2,99,263 in Delhi, the data showed.

Rajasthan has administered 2,71,422 doses to beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group, Gujarat 2,69,263, Haryana 2,30,105 and Uttar Pradesh 1,17,647.

According to a provisional report, a total of 18,93,258 vaccine doses were administered on Saturday, the 113th day of the vaccination drive. While 7,83,895 beneficiaries were administered the first dose, 11,09,363 received the second dose, the ministry said.

(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)