Coronavirus cases: India records 16,946 new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours

New Delhi, Jan 14: Union health ministry on Thursday said that India recorded 16,946 fresh COVID-19 cases taking its tally to 1.05 crore cases. The number of fresh infections is six per cent higher than Wednesday, when the country registered 15,978 cases.

According to the health ministry, the number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 1,01,46,763, pushing the national recovery rate to 96.52 per cent, while the Covid case fatality rate stands at 1.44 per cent.

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Meanwhile, the COVID-19 active caseload remained below three lakh. There are 2,13,603 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprise 2.03 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

In the 24-hour period, India reported 198 deaths linked to the virus, taking the total number of fatalities to 1,51,727. It is allegedly said that more than 70 per cent of these deaths occurred due to comorbidities. "Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR," the ministry said on its website.

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India's COVID tally had crossed 20 lakh 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.

On Saturday, India will begin a mass inoculation drive in which vaccine shots to 30 crore people in what officials say will be the 'world's biggest vaccination programme'.