The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has reported that the coronavirus recovery rate in India has increased to 25.13 per cent from 13 per cent that was reported two weeks earlier. The doubling of infection has also increased from 3.4 days to 11 days.

Officials said that 8,324 patients have recovered. Total 1,718 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total tally to 33,050 including 1,074 deaths.

The fatality rate in India currently is 3.2 per cent. The ministry added that 65 per cent of those dead are men while the rest 35 are women.

Health officials said that the lockdown that started on March 25 has prevented an explosive spread of COVID-19 that could have crippled the entire healthcare system in the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to decide on extending the lockdown beyond May 3. Several states have rooted for extension of the lockdown in affected areas, while partially easing restrictions in areas with no cases.

"Our analysis finds that the rate of growth in positive cases and fatalities has been consistently lower - linear but non-exponential," Amitabh Kant, chief executive of Niti Aayog said on Wednesday.

Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad - three of the most economically important cities in India - top the list of cases with no signs of cases slowing down, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said.