India registers 21,822 new COVID-19 cases

India's COVID-19 caseload increased to 1,02,66,674 with 21,822 new infections being reported in a day, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 98.60 lakh pushing the national recovery rate over 96 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The death toll increased to 1,48,738 with 299 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 98,60,280 pushing the national recovery rate to 96.04 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh for the tenth consecutive day.

There are 2,57,656 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 2.51 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

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, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 17,20,49,274 samples have been tested up to December 30 with 11,27,244 samples being tested on Wednesday.

The 299 new fatalities include 90 from Maharashtra, 28 each from West Bengal and Kerala, and 21 from Delhi.

A total of 1,48,738 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 49,463 from Maharashtra followed by 12,109 from Tamil Nadu, 12,081 from Karnataka,10,523 from Delhi, 9,683 from West Bengal, 8,352 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,104 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,331 from Punjab.

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.