The Centre on Tuesday asked all its employees aged 45 years and above to get themselves vaccinated to effectively contain the spread of Covid-19.

They are further advised to continue to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour even after vaccination by frequent washing of hands and sanitisation, wearing a mask or face cover and observing social distancing, etc., an order issued by the Personnel Ministry said.

“The government has been monitoring the situation very closely, and based on the strategy adopted for prioritising the groups for vaccination to contain the spread of Covid-19, currently, all persons of the age of 45 years and above can participate in the vaccination exercise,” it said.

“In view of the above, all central government employees of the age of 45 years and above are advised to get themselves vaccinated so as to effectively contain the spread of Covid-19,” said the order issued to all the central government ministries and departments.

The order comes amid an alarming spike in Covid-19 cases in the country in the last few weeks.

More than 43 lakh Covid-19 vaccine doses were administered in a span of 24 hours on April 5, the highest single-day coverage till now, taking the total doses given in the country so far to 8,31,10,926, the Union Health Ministry said earlier in the day.

As on day-80 of the vaccination drive (April 5), a total 43,00,966 vaccine doses have been given out of which 39,00,505 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 48,095 sessions for 1st dose while 4,00,461 beneficiaries received the 2nd dose, according to the data updated at 7 am.

"This is the highest single day vaccination coverage in the country so far," the ministry said.

Eight states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have shown a steep rise in the Covid daily new cases accounting for 80.04 per cent of the new cases reported in a span of 24 hours, the ministry highlighted.

Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 47,288. It is followed by Chhattisgarh with 7,302 while Karnataka reported 5,279 new cases.

India's total active caseload has reached 7,88,223 and now comprises 6.21 per cent of the country's total infections. A net increase of 46,393 cases recorded in the total active caseload in a span of 24 hours.

Twelve states -- Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala are displaying an upward trajectory in daily new cases, the ministry said.