New Delhi, Mar 7 (IANS): The Union Health Ministry on Sunday said that the six states of Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra were reported a high number of new single-day Covid-19 cases.

While Covid-19 situation has turned worrisome in Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, it continues to remain alarming in Kerala and Maharashtra.

In the last 24 hours, the states collectively accounted for 84.7 per cent of the 18,711 fresh cases, the Ministry informed.

"Maharashtra continues to report the highest daily new cases at 10,187, followed by Kerala with 2,791 while Punjab reported 1,159 new cases," it said.

The Ministry added that it was continuously engaging with the states and UTs reporting a higher caseload of active cases, and also with those registering new infections.

It has deputed high-level teams to Maharashtra and Punjab, which are showing a steep increase in the daily new cases.

The gradual but consistent rise in daily new cases is reversing India's Covid situation to the worrisome phase.

The 18,711 new cases is an increase of 1,873 the country reported two days ago.

The last time India reported more than 18,000 single-day cases was in the later half of January.

As of Sunday, the country's cumulative caseload has increased to 1,12,10,799, while the death toll currently stands at 1,57,756.