Active COVID-19 caseload in India falls below 4 lakh, 32,981 new cases emerge

India's Coronavirus infections rose to 96.77 lakh, while the active caseload fell below 4 lakh and the recoveries surged to 91.39 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

The total Coronavirus cases mounted to 96,77,203 with 32,981 new infections being reported in a day and the death toll rose to 1,40,573 with 391 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. There are 3,96,729 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 4.10 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 91,39,901 pushing the national recovery rate to 94.45 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23 and 40 lakh on September 5. It went past  50 lakh on September 16,  60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, and surpassed 90 lakh on November 20.

According to the ICMR,  14,77,87,656  samples have been tested up to December 6 with 8,01,081 samples being tested on Sunday. The 391 new fatalities include 69 from Delhi, 46 from West Bengal, 40 from Maharashtra, 28 from Kerala, 24 each from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and 20 from Punjab.

A total of 1,40,573 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 47,734 from Maharashtra followed by 11,856 from Karnataka, 11,793 from Tamil Nadu, 9,646 from Delhi, 8,72 from West Bengal, 7,924 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,033 from Andhra Pradesh, 4,916 from Punjab, 4,081 from Gujarat and 3,337 from Madhya 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.