India records year's biggest single-day jump of 93,249 COVID-19 cases

India on Sunday (March 4) recorded 93,249 new coronavirus infections, the highest single-day rise so far this year, which took the total COVID-19 cases to 1,24,85,509, according to Union health ministry data. This is the biggest daily rise in cases since September 19, when 93,337 fresh infections were recorded.

The death toll climbed to 1,64,623 on Sunday with 513 new fatalities, the ministry data updated at 8 am showed. Registering a steady increase for the 25th straight day, the number of active cases surged to 6,91,597, accounting for 5.54 per cent of the total infections. The recovery rate further dropped to 93.14 per cent, the data stated. The active caseload was at its lowest at 1,35,926 on February 12, comprising 1.25 per cent of the total infections. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease increased to 1,16,29,289, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.32 per cent, according to the data.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

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According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 24,81,25,908 samples had been tested up to April 3 with 11,66,716 being tested on Saturday. The 513 new fatalities include 277 from Maharashtra, 49 from Punjab, 36 from Chhattisgarh, 19 from Karnataka, 15 from Madhya Pradesh, 14 each from Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, 13 from Gujarat, 12 from Kerala and 10 each from Delhi and Haryana. A total of 1,64,623 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 55,656 from Maharashtra, 12,764 from Tamil Nadu, 12,610 from Karnataka, 11,060 from Delhi, 10,340 from West Bengal, 8,850 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,234 from Andhra Pradesh and 7,032 from Punjab.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to co-morbidities. “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that the state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

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