COVID-19 caseload in India at 73.7 lakh with 63,371 new infections

India’s COVID-19 caseload rose to 73,70,468 with 63,371 new infections being reported in a day, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease crossed 64 lakh pushing the recovery rate to 87.56 per cent, according to the Health Ministry data updated on Friday (October 16).

The coronavirus death toll climbed to 1,12,161 with the virus claiming 895 lives in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.

For eight days in a row, the active cases of COVID-19 remained below 9 lakh.

There are 8,04,528 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 10.92 per cent of the total caseload, while the recoveries have surged to  64,53,779, the data stated.

The COVID-19 case fatality rate due COVID-19 was recorded at 1.52 per cent.

“India continues to have one of the lowest COVID-19 deaths per million population globally, currently pegged at 80,” the ministry said.

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 the ICMR, a cumulative total of 9,22,54,927 samples have been tested up to October 15, with 10,28,622 samples being tested on Thursday.