PTI
New Delhi
The nationwide tally of confirmed COVID infections neared 20,000 with new cases reported from various states and the death toll crossed 600, Union health ministry officials.

The recovery rate has improved to 17.5 per cent and a record number of 705 patients were cured and discharged on Monday itself.
In its evening update, the ministry said the death toll has risen to 603 and the number of positive cases has gone up to 18,985 across the country. This included 15,122 active cases, as on 5 pm Tuesday.

However, a PTI tally of numbers reported by various states and Union territories put the nationwide tally of positive cases at 19,867 with at least 646 deaths and 3,801 recoveries.
Overall, more than 3,800 persons have been cured and discharged so far, while there are more than 15,000 active cases in the country now, as per figures announced by various state governments.
New cases were also reported from various states including Odisha and Kerala – where the infection spread has been relatively slower.

In the national capital, there are 1,603 active cases of COVID-19, while 47 people have died of coronavirus so far, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.

Globally, the coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 1.7 lakh people, including over 42,000 in the US.
Nearly 25 lakh infections have been reported worldwide so far, even as there are fears that the actual tally could be much more as tests are so far limited to serious or symptomatic cases in most countries.