Daily COVID deaths cross 300 for first time this year; 62,714 new cases

India reported 62,714 new coronavirus infections in a day, the highest single-day rise so far this year, taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 1,19,71,624, while the daily deaths crossed the 300 mark for the first time in 2021, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

Registering a steady increase for the 18th day in row, active cases increased to 4,86,310, comprising 4.06 per cent of the total infections. The recovery rate has further dropped to 94.58 per cent, the data stated.

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The 62,714 new cases were reported in a span of 24 hours, the highest since October 16, 2020, while the death toll increased to 1,61,552 with 312 daily new fatalities, the highest in about three months, the data updated at 8 am on Sunday (March 28) showed. The daily death toll of 312 is the highest since December 25, 2020, when 336 new deaths were reported.

As many as 63,371 new infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours on October 16.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease increased to 1,13,23,762, while the case fatality rate stood at  1.35 per cent, the data stated.

India’s COVID 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; crossed 80 lakh on October 29; 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the ICMR, 24,09,50,842 samples have been tested up to March 27 with 11,81,289 samples being tested on Saturday (March 28).

The 312 new fatalities include 166 from Maharashtra, 45 from Punjab, 14 from Kerala, 13 from Chhattisgarh, and 10 from Delhi.

A total of 1,61,552 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 54,073 from Maharashtra, 12,659 from Tamil Nadu, 12,492 from Karnataka, 10,997 from Delhi, 10,322 from West Bengal, 8,783 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,203 from Andhra Pradesh and 6,621 from Punjab.

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The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent 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.