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India records lowest COVID-19 cases in 7 months

Last updated on: January 12, 2021 12:04 IST

India recorded 12,584 new cases of coronavirus, the lowest in around seven months, taking the country's COVID-19 caseload to 1,04,79,179, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Tuesday.

IMAGE: A health worker takes part in the third phase of dry run for the administration of COVID-19 vaccine at King George Medical University in Lucknow. Photograph: Naeem Ansari/ANI Photo

The death toll increased to 1,51,327 with 167 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,01,11,294 pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate to 96.49 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.44 per cent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh.

There are 2,16,558 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 2.07 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

IMAGE: Class 10 students and their teacher wearing protective face masks attend their class as they maintain social distancing after authorities reopened schools for classes for 10 and 12 in Ahmedabad. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

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 Indian Council of Medical Research, 18,26,52,887 samples have been tested up to January 11 with 8,97,056 samples being tested on Monday.

The 167 new fatalities include 40 from Maharashtra, 20 from Kerala, 16 from West Bengal, 15 from Chhattisgarh and 13 from Delhi.

IMAGE: A health worker collects a swab sample of security personnel for the COVID-19 test before the rehearsal of the Republic Day at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna. Photograph: Aftab Alam Siddiqui/ANI Photo

A total of 151327 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 50,101 from Maharashtra followed by 12,228 from Tamil Nadu, 12,144 from Karnataka, 10,691 from Delhi, 9,957 from West Bengal, 8,504 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,131 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,447 from Punjab.

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.