NEW DELHI (REUTERS) - India on Saturday (Aug 28) reported 46,759 new coronavirus infections, the most in nearly two months, as cases surged in the southern state of Kerala after a big festival.

The South Asian country's total Covid-19 cases reached nearly 32.7 million and deaths rose by 509 to 437,370 in the last 24 hours, government data showed.

India administered more than 10 million vaccine doses in the past 24 hours, a national record that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called a "momentous feat" for the country ahead of fears of another surge in infections.

India has now administered about 628 million vaccine doses in total, giving at least one dose to more than half of its 944 million adults and the required two doses to 15 per cent. The government wants the entire adult population covered by December.

"Record vaccination numbers today!" Modi said on Twitter. "Crossing 1 crore (10 million) is a momentous feat." The previous daily record was 9.2 million.

India's vaccine production has jumped this month, thanks mainly to the Serum Institute of India that is now making about 150 million doses a month of its version of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The sharp rise in vaccinations came as India reported more than 40,000 new infections for a second consecutive day on Friday.

Cases had fallen to a five-month-low of 25,166 in the middle of the month but have risen sharply in the last three days, mainly in the southern state of Kerala which recently held a large festival during which families typically come together.

"Any laxity in ensuring a strict adherence to the five-fold strategy of test-track-treat-vaccinate and ensuring Covid-19 appropriate behaviour, may result in a further surge in Covid-19 transmission in Kerala and its neighbouring states," the health ministry told the Kerala state government in a letter shared with journalists.

Kerala said it would impose a lockdown on Sundays until further orders.