India reports highest single-day spike of over 1.15 lakh new COVID-19 cases; tally reaches 1,28,01,785

New Delhi: The number of new coronavirus cases in India hit a record daily high since the outbreak of the pandemic with over 1.15 lakh new infections being reported in a span of 24 hours, pushing the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 1,28,01,785, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday. The single-day rise in coronavirus cases breached the one-lakh mark for the second time in three days. A total of 1,15,736 infections were reported in a day, while the toll increased to 1,66,177 with 630 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. Registering a steady increase for the 28th day in row, the active cases have increased to 8,43,473 comprising 6.59 percent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 92.11 percent, the data stated. The active caseload was at its lowest at 1, 35,926 on 12 February comprising 1.25 percent of the total infections. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,17,92,135, while the case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.30 percent, the data stated. India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on 7 August,30 lakh on 23 August, 40 lakh on 5 September and50 lakh on 16 September. It went past 60 lakh on 28 September, 70 lakh on 11 October, crossed 80 lakh on 29 October, 90 lakh on 20 November and surpassed the one-crore mark on 19 December. According to the ICMR, 25,14, 39,598 samples have been tested up to 6 April, with 12,08, 339 samples being tested on Tuesday. The 630 new fatalities include 297 from Maharashtra, 61 from Punjab, 53 from Chhattisgarh, 39 from Karnataka, 30 from Uttar Pradesh, 18 from Madhya Pradesh, 17 each from Delhi and Gujarat, 15 from Tamil Nadu, 14 from Kerala, 13 from Rajasthan. A total of 1,66,177 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 56,330 from Maharashtra, 12,804 from Tamil Nadu, 12,696 from Karnataka, 11,113 from Delhi, 10,355 from West Bengal, 8,924 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,251 from Andhra Pradesh and 7,216 from Punjab. The health ministry stressed that more than 70 percent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.