India's COVID-19 toll tops 1.50 lakh; 18,088 new cases reported

India's COVID-19 caseload rose to 1,03,74,932 with 18,088 infections being reported in a day, while the recoveries are nearing one crore, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Wednesday.

The death toll increased to 1,50,114 with 264 people succumbing to the disease in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 99,97,272 pushing the national recovery rate to 96.36 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 16th consecutive day.

There are 2,27,546, active cases of coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 2.19 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, 17,74,63,405 samples have been tested up to January 5 with 9,31,408 samples being tested on Tuesday.

The 264 new fatalities include 64 from Maharashtra, 25 from Chhattisgarh, and 24 each from West Bengal and Kerala and 20 from Uttar Pradesh.

A total of 1,50,114 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 49,759 from Maharashtra followed by 12,177 from Tamil Nadu, 12,118 from Karnataka, 10,609 from Delhi, 9,841 from West Bengal, 8,433 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,122 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,404 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.