Fresh COVID-19 cases remain below 45k in India; total caseload inch closer to 80 lakh-mark

The new coronavirus cases reported in India in a span of 24 hours remained below 45,000, even as the total COVID-19 caseload inched closer to 80 lakh, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday.

The country's COVID-19 caseload mounted to 79,90,322 with 43,893 fresh cases being reported in a day, while the death toll climbed to 1,20,010 with 508 new fatalities, the ministry data updated at 8 am showed.

A total of 72,59,509 people have recuperated from COVID-19 so far, pushing the national recovery rate to 90.85 per cent, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.50 per cent.

The active cases of coronavirus infections remained below 7 lakh for six days in a row, it said.

There are 6,10,803 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country as on date, which comprises 7.64 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 and 40 lakh on September 5. It went past 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28 and crossed 70 lakh on October 11.

According to ICMR, a cumulative total of 10,54,87,680 samples have been tested up to October 27, with 10,66,786 samples tested on Tuesday.

The 508 latest fatalities include 115 from Maharashtra, 58 from West Bengal, 44 each from Delhi and Karnataka, 36 from Uttar Pradesh and 27 from Tamil Nadu.

The total 1,20,010 deaths reported so far in the country include  43,463 from Maharashtra followed by 10,991 from Karnataka, 10,983 from Tamil Nadu, 6,940 from Uttar Pradesh, 6,625 from Andhra Pradesh, 6,604 from West Bengal, 6,356 from Delhi, 4,138 from Punjab and 3,695 from Gujarat.

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 (ICMR)," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.