New Delhi: The daily rise in new coronavirus infections in India remained above 90,000 for the third consecutive day taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally of cases to 1,26,86,049, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated Tuesday. A total of 96,982 cases have been reported in a span of 24 hours. The death toll increased to 1,65,547 with 446 daily new fatalities, the Health Ministry data updated at 8.00 am showed. India recorded Monday an all-time high of 1,03,558 single day new coronavirus infections in a span of 24 hours.
Registering a steady increase for the 27th day in row, the active cases have increased to 7,88,223 comprising 6.21 per cent of the total infections. The recovery rate has further dropped to 92.48 per cent, the data stated. The active caseload was at its lowest at 1,35,926 February 12 comprising 1.25 per cent of the total infections.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,17,32,279, while the case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.30 per cent, the Health Ministry data stated.
India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark August 7, 50 lakh September 16 and the one-crore mark December 19.
According to the ICMR, 25,02,31,269 samples have been tested up to April 5 with 12,11,612 samples being tested Monday.
The 446 new fatalities include 155 from Maharashtra, 72 from Punjab, 44 from Chhattisgarh, 32 from Karnataka, 15 each from Delhi, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, 13 from Uttar Pradesh, 12 each from Kerala and Rajasthan, 11 from Tamil Nadu and 10 from Jharkhand.
So far Maharashtra has reported 56,033 deaths. Other states that have reported a high number of deaths are Tamil Nadu (12,789), Karnataka (12,657), Delhi (11,096), West Bengal (10,348), Uttar Pradesh (8,894), Andhra Pradesh (7,244), and Punjab (7,155).
The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.
“Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
Experts have predicted that unless drastic measures are put in place, the second wave of infections cannot be controlled. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a meeting with the chief ministers of all the states Thursday to chalk out plans for controlling the spread of the disease.
