Close to 600 new coronavirus cases were reported from across the country on Saturday, the highest single-day count so far, even as the death toll from the pandemic neared the 100 mark at 97.As many as 586 new cases emerged in the country with Maharashtra, the worst-affected state by far, recording 145, the highest count of cases in a 24-hour period reported by any state so far, surpassing the 141 cases reported in Delhi earlier this week. Maharashtra has so far reported 635 coronavirus cases, way more than the second-placed Tamil Nadu (485) or Delhi (445).Eleven deaths due to the virus were reported during the day, with Maharashtra accounting for six, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh two each, and one in Rajasthan. The total tally of Covid-19 cases in India has risen to 3,670, according to information received from states.The number of people who have recovered from the disease has also gone up to 226, which is a positive sign. The health ministry has confirmed 3,072 Covid-19 cases and 75 deaths.Of the 445 positive cases in Delhi, state health authorities said 15 require ICU care while eight others are on oxygen support. The state has witnessed six Covid-19 deaths of which one person was 36-year-old and the rest were above 60. Joint secretary in the health ministry Lav Aggarwal said on Saturday most deaths due to Covid-19 in the country were among the elderly people and those with co-morbities such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.Four more Covid-19 cases were reported in Noida on Saturday — all linked to Cease Fire, the firm to which 67% of the 58 cases in the district can now be traced, with the infection chain moving from gated societies to urban villages and a slum cluster. Noida is also now one of the 10 Covid-19 hotspots in the country.In Madhya Pradesh, the state health department’s principal secretary and another senior IAS officer, who were spearheading the battle against Covid-19 in the state, tested positive for the virus on Saturday. A day ago, another IAS officer who had a key role in the state’s corona task force tested positive.Two patients died due to Covid-19 in Tamil Nadu on Saturday, taking the total death toll to three and number of cases to 485 in the state.State health secretary Beela Rajesh said 422 (87%) of those who tested positive belong to a group of people who had travelled to Delhi to attend a three-day Tablighi Jamaat conference and their close contacts.Rajasthan crossed the 200-mark on Saturday, with 25 new Covid-19 cases recorded on Saturday.Karnataka witnessed its highest single-day jump in coronavirus cases on Saturday as 16 more people, including a radio jockey in Bengaluru, testing positive. The state’s tally now stands at 144, climbing from 128 on Friday.In the latest cases, seven people from Mysuru district tested positive, five from Bengaluru, two from Dakshina Kannada, and one each from Ballari and Udupi. Two new Covid-19 patients are women.Andhra Pradesh on Saturday registered 26 new covid-19 positive cases taking the state’s tally to 190. In Telangana, officials said 43 new cases have been recorded taking their tally 272. Most of the fresh cases are related to Tablighi Jamaat attendees from Delhi, officials added.