India records 28,903 Covid-19 cases, highest single-day spike this year

New Delhi, Mar 17: India recorded 28,903 new covid infections, the highest so far this year, taking the COVID-19 tally to 1,14,38,734, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

The death toll increased to 1,59,044 with 188 new fatalities, the highest in around two months, the data updated at 8 am showed. Registering an increase for the seventh day in a row, the total active caseload has increased to 2,34,406 which now comprises 2.05 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 96.56 per cent, the data stated.

As many as 30,254 new infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours on December 13.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,10,45,284, while the case fatality rate has dropped to 1.39 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, 22,92,49,784 samples have been tested up to March 16 with 9,69,021 samples being tested on Tuesday.