India recorded a sharp uptick in Covid-19 deaths on Tuesday, with the toll rising 40% in a day to cross 350, even as fresh cases surged again after three days to the highest tally in the third wave so far, reports agencies.

There were 353 deaths reported on Tuesday, with data from Tripura awaited, nearly 100 more than the previous day’s toll of 254, making it the sharpest single-day increase during the current wave.

Meanwhile, India reported over 2. 82 lakh fresh Covid cases, a big increase from Monday’s tally of 2,36,841, as the “weekend effect” of low testing started wearing off in the fresh week. Testing increased to 16. 5 lakh, bringing the day’s positivity rate down a shade to 17. 28% from 18% on Monday. The previous highest daily tally during the current wave was 2,69,201 reported on Friday. Thereafter, the numbers fell for three days running.

Tuesday’s deaths were the highest single-day toll in the country in nearly four months since 384 fatalities were recorded on September 21 last year. If deaths from earlier periods reported on Tuesday are counted, the toll rose by 436. The daily tally of fresh deaths has risen for nine straight days now, even though the overall numbers remain low as compared to the corresponding levels during the second wave.

Maharashtra reported 53 deaths and Kerala 39, both more than double the numbers recorded a day earlier in the respective states. In Maharashtra, Tuesday’s deaths were the highest since October 8 when 59 deaths had been recorded. Tamil Nadu, with 29 deaths, Punjab (26), Assam (16), UP (12), Rajasthan (9) and Uttarakhand (6) reported their highest daily deaths during the current wave. At 38, Delhi recorded its second highest single-day deaths in this wave while Bengal reported 34.

Meanwhile, daily cases surged sharply to 41,457 in Karnataka, the highest in the country on Tuesday, ahead of Maharashtra’s tally of 39,207.

(With inputs from agencies)