India's COVID-19 caseload rises to 1,04,66,595 with 16,311 fresh infections

NEW DELHI: With 16,311 new coronavirus cases being reported in a span of 24 hours, the lowest in around six-and-half months, India's COVID-19 tally rose to 1,04,66,595, while the recoveries have surged to 1,00,92,909, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated on Monday.

The death toll reached 1,51,160 with 161 more fatalities, the lowest in the last seven-and-half-months, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,00,92,909, pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate to 96.43 per cent, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.44 per cent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below three lakh.

There are 2,22,526 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprise 2.13 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20 lakh-mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the ICMR, 18,17,55,831 samples have been tested so far with 6,59,209 samples being tested on Sunday.

A total of 1,51,160 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 50,061 from Maharashtra followed by 12,222 from Tamil Nadu, 12,140 from Karnataka, 10,678 from Delhi, 9,941 from West Bengal, 8,495 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,129 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,445 from Punjab.

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 it website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.