COVID-19: Less than 1000 deaths recorded for eight consecutive days in India, active cases below nine lakh 

NEW DELHI: India's COVID-19 recoveries crossed the 60-lakh mark even as less than 1000 coronavirus deaths have been recorded daily for eight consecutive days, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.

Active cases of coronavirus are less than nine lakh for the third day in a row.

With increasing recoveries, India has sustained its leading global position with the maximum recovered cases.

The five top states with the maximum caseload (61 per cent of the active cases) are also contributing more than half (54.3 per cent) of the total recoveries, the ministry said.

With a total 89,154 people having recuperated in a span of 24 hours, India's COVID-19 recoveries have surged to 60,77,976 pushing the recovery rate 86.17 per cent, according to the data updated at 8 am.

"Enhanced countrywide medical infrastructure, implementation of the Centre's standard treatment protocol by the states and UTs, and total dedication and  commitment of doctors, paramedics and frontline workers have led to a consistent slide in the number of daily fatalities and a persistent increase in the number of total recoveries," the ministry underlined.

"For the last eight consecutive days, new deaths recorded are less than 1000," it highlighted.

The five top states --Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu --- with the maximum COVID-19 caseload  (61 per cent of the active cases) are also contributing more than half (54.3 per cent) of the total recoveries, the ministry said.

The ministry said that 80 per cent of the new recovered cases are being reported from ten states and UTs --Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Delhi and Chhattisgarh.

Maharashtra leads the tally with more than 26,000 new cases of recovered patients.

There are 8,67,496 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 12.30  per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

According to the health ministry, 80 per cent of the 74,383 fresh cases of COVID-19 reported in a span of 24 hours in the country are concentrated in ten states and UT.

Kerala has reported the maximum number of new cases, followed by Maharashtra.

Both have contributed more than 11,000 to the new cases.

Besides, 918 fatalities have been registered in a span of 24 hours and 84 per cent of these are reported from 10 states and UTs.

With 308 deaths, Maharashtra accounts for 33 per cent of deaths reported on Saturday, followed by Karnataka with 102 deaths.