India records 24,882 new cases, 140 deaths; Highest this year

New Delhi, Mar 13: India recorded 24,882 fresh coronavirus (Covid-19) cases and 140 deaths in the last 24 hours, the highest so far this year, which took the caseload to 1,13,33,728, according to the Union ministry of health and family welfare on Saturday.

This is also the highest daily rise in the last 83 days. As many as 26,624 new infections were recorded on December 20. The death toll climbed to 1,58,446 with 140 new fatalities, the ministry data updated at 8 am showed.

The country's active caseload increased to 2,02,022. It constitutes 1.74 per cent of the total infections. The recovery rate dropped to 96.82 per cent.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,09,73,260. The case fatality rate stands at 1.40 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, 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, 22,58,39,273 samples had been tested until March 12 including 8,40,635 on Friday.

The 140 new fatalities include 56 from Maharashtra, 34 from Punjab and 14 from Kerala.

A total of 1,58,446 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 52,723 from Maharashtra, 12,539 from Tamil Nadu, 12,386 from Karnataka, 10,936 from Delhi, 10,287 from West Bengal, 8,743 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,180 from Andhra Pradesh.

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.