1.61 lakh new Covid cases in India, 1.36 cr total cases

A total of 1,61,736 new coronavirus infections have been reported in a day pushing India's tally of cases to 1,36,89,453, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate dropped further to 89.51 per cent, according to data updated by the Union health ministry on Monday.

IMAGE: Healthcare workers wearing a PPE kit are seen inside a temporary isolation ward for COVID-19 patients at Shehnai banquet hall in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

The death toll increased to 1,71,058 with 879 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Registering a steady increase for the 34th day in a row, the number of active cases rose to 12,64,698, or 9.24 per cent of the total infections.

The active caseload was at its lowest at 1,35,926 on February 12, 2021 and it was at its highest at 10,17,754 on September 18, 2020.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,22,53,697, while the case fatality rate has dropped further to 1.25 per cent, the data stated.

IMAGE: Ambulances, carrying the mortal remains of those who died of COVID-19, stand parked outside a crematorium, in Ranchi. Photograph: PTI Photo

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 the one-crore mark on December 19.

IMAGE: People crowd in a market at Dadar, amid coronavirus pandemic, in Mumbai. Photograph: PTI Photo

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 25,92,07,108 samples have been tested up to April 12, of which 14,00,122 were done on Monday.

The 879 new fatalities include 258 from Maharashtra, 132 from Chhattisgarh, 72 each from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, 55 from Gujarat, 52 each from Karnataka and Punjab, 37 from Madhya Pradesh, 25 from Rajasthan, 19 each from Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand, 14 each from Haryana and West Bengal, and 11 each from Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

IMAGE: Relatives and family members wearing PPE perform prayers before cremating the body of a person who died of COVID-19, amid the ongoing surge in coronavirus cases, at Nagercoil in Kanyakumari district. Photograph: PTI Photo

A total of 1,71,058 deaths have been reported in the country so far, including 58,245 from Maharashtra, 12,941 from Karnataka, 12,927 from Tamil Nadu, 11,355 from Delhi, 10,414 from West Bengal, 9,224 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,559 from Punjab, and 7,311 from Andhra Pradesh.

The Union health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

IMAGE: Police personnel stops commuters who come out without a mask as lockdown norms been followed in Chennai. Photograph: ANI Photo

"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.