With 70,589 new cases, India's COVID-19 tally reaches 61,45,292

Daily COVID-19 cases in India dropped below 75,000 and less than 1,000 deaths were reported in a day after nearly a month, while total recoveries crossed the 51 lakh-mark, according to the Union health
ministry's data updated on Tuesday.

The total coronavirus cases in the country mounted to 61,45, 291 with 70,589 new infections, while the death toll reached 96,318 after 776 people succumbed to the disease in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The total recoveries surged to 51,01,397 pushing the recovery rate to 83.01 per cent.

There are 9,47,576 active cases in the country which comprise 15.42 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

The COVID-19 case fatality rate was recorded at 1.57 per cent.

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 and crossed 60-lakh mark on September 28.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, a cumulative total of 7,31,10,041 samples have been tested up to September 28 with 11,42,811 samples being tested on Monday.

The 776 new fatalities include 180 from Maharashtra, 70 from Tamil Nadu, 59 from Karnataka, 58 from Uttar Pradesh, 56 from West Bengal, 46 from Punjab, 37 each from Andhra Pradesh and Delhi and 35 from Madhya Pradesh.

Total 96,318 deaths reported so far in the country include 35,751 from Maharashtra followed by 9,383 from Tamil Nadu, 8,641 from Karnataka, 5,745 from Andhra Pradesh, 5,652 from Uttar Pradesh, 5,272 from Delhi, 4,837 from West Bengal, 3,428 from Gujarat, 3,284 from Punjab and 2,242 from Madhya Pradesh.

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 state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.