India's COVID-19 caseload climbs to 98.5 lakh with 30,254 new cases; recovery rate now at 94.9%

New Delhi: India’s COVID-19 caseload rose to 98.57 lakh, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 93.57 lakh pushing the national recovery rate to 94.93 percent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. The total coronavirus cases mounted to 98,57,029 with 30,254 infections being reported in a day. The death toll rose to 1,43,019 with 391 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 93,57,464 pushing the national recovery rate to 94.93 percent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 percent. The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 4 lakh for the seventh consecutive day. There are 3,56,546 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 3.62 percent of the total caseload, the data stated. India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on 7 August, 30 lakh on 23 August, and 40 lakh on 5 September. It went past 50 lakh on 16 September, 60 lakh on 28 September, 70 lakh on 11 October, crossed 80 lakh on 29 October, and surpassed 90 lakh on 20 November. According to the ICMR, 15,37,11,833 samples have been tested up to 12 December with 10,14,434 samples being tested on Saturday. The 391 new fatalities include 80 from Maharashtra, 47 from Delhi, 44 from West Bengal, 32 from Kerala, 31 from Uttar Pradesh, and 21 from Punjab. A total of 1,43,019 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 48,139 from Maharashtra followed by 11,939 from Karnataka, 11,883 from Tamil Nadu, 9,981 from Delhi, 9,010 from West Bengal, 8,056 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,052 from Andhra Pradesh, and 5,057 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.