India reports 26,291 COVID-19 cases, highest single-day spike in 85 days; toll rises to 1.5 lakh

New Delhi: India recorded 26,291 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, its highest single-day spike in 85 days, taking the country’s infection tally to 1,13,85,339, according to Union health ministry data. The toll due to the disease increased to 1,58,725 with 118 more fatalities being recorded in a day, the data updated at 8 am showed. Registering an upward trend for five days in a row, the total active caseload has gone up to 2,19,262 which is 1.93 percent of the total infections in the country, while the recovery rate has dropped to 96.68 percent, the data stated. As many as 26,624 infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours on 20 December. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,10,07,352, while the case fatality rate stood at 1.39 percent, according to the data. India’s COVID-19 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 surpassed the one-crore mark on 19 December. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 22,74,07,413 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to 14 March, including 7,03,772 on Sunday. The 118 new fatalities include 50 from Maharashtra, 20 from Punjab and 15 from Kerala, the data showed. A total of 1,58,725 deaths have so far been reported in the country, including 52,861 from Maharashtra, 12,547 from Tamil Nadu, 12,390 from Karnataka, 10,941 from Delhi, 10,292 from West Bengal, 8,746 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,184 from Andhra Pradesh, it stated. The health ministry stressed that more than 70 percent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. “Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.