India reports 354 Covid deaths in 24 hrs, highest in 2021

As many as 53,480 fresh infections pushed India's COVID-19 tally to 1,21,49,335, while 354 new fatalities, the highest single-day spike so far this year, took the death toll to 1,62,468, according to Union health ministry data updated on Wednesday.

IMAGE: Relatives in personal protective equipment perform last rites to a man, who died due to coronavirus, before his cremation in Ahmedabad. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

The country had recorded 355 deaths on December 17.

The active caseload increased to 5,52,566 and accounts for 4.55 per cent of the total infections.

The recovery rate further dropped to 94.11 per cent, the ministry data updated at 8 am showed.

IMAGE: A woman wearing a protective face mask walks past a graffiti amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease on a street in Mumbai. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,14,34,301, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, it stated.

India's COVID-19 tally 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 surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

IMAGE: A health worker arranges slides of swab samples for COVID-19 tests at a mall in Mumbai. Civic authorities have mandated COVID-19 rapid antigen test for every visitor entering malls. Photograph: Kunal Patil/PTI Photo

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 24,36,72,940 samples had been tested up to March 30 with 10,22,915 being tested on Tuesday.