India records 1,61,736 new COVID-19 cases, 879 deaths in 24 hours; fatality rate at 1.25%

New Delhi: A total of 1,61,736 new infections have been reported in a day pushing India's tally of cases to 1,36,89,453, while the national recovery rate dropped further to 89.51 percent, according to data updated by the Union Health Ministry on Monday.

The toll increased to 1,71,058 with 879 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Registering a steady increase for the 34th day in a row, the number of active cases rose to 12,64,698, or 9.24 percent of the total infections. The active caseload was at its lowest at 1,35,926 on 12 February, 2021 and it was at its highest at 10,17,754 on 18 September, 2020.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,22,53,697, while the case fatality rate has dropped further to 1.25 percent, the data stated.

India's tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on 7 August; 30 lakh on 23 August; 40 lakh on 5 September; and 50 lakh on 16 September. It went past 60 lakh on 28 September; 70 lakh on 11 October; 80 lakh on 29 October; 90 lakh on 20 November; and the one-crore mark on 19 December.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 25,92,07,108 samples have been tested up to 12 April, of which 14,00,122 were done on Monday.