COVID-19: India sees highest single-day spike this year with 43,846 new cases

New Delhi, Mar 21: India saw 43,846 new coronavirus infections in a day, the highest single-day rise recorded so far this year, taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 1,15,99,130, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

Registering an increase for the 11th day in a row, the total active caseload has increased to 3,09,087, which now comprises 2.66 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 95.96 per cent, the data stated.

The daily rise in infections was the highest recorded in 115 days. The death toll increased to 1,59,755 with 197 daily new fatalities, the highest in 97 days, the data updated at 8 am showed.

As many as 44,489 new infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours on November 26.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,11,30,288, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.38 per cent, 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 ICMR, 23,35,65,119 samples have been tested up to March 20 with 11,33,602 samples being tested on Saturday.