With 78,357 new cases in 24 hours, India's COVID-19 tally past 37 lakh, death toll rises to 66,333 

India's COVID-19 tally of cases galloped past 37 lakh on Wednesday with 78,357 new instances of the disease reported in a day, while the number of recoveries crossed 29 lakh pushing the recovery rate to 76. 98 per cent, the Union health ministry data showed. The death toll climbed to 66,333 with 1,045 more fatalities reported in 24 hours. India has so far reported 37,69,523 cases of the viral disease, according to the data updated at 8 am. The total number of COVID-19 recoveries in the country has surged to 29,01,908, while the fatality rate has further declined to 1. 76 per cent.

There are 8,01,282, active cases in the country which comprises 21. 26 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated. India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 and went past 30 lakh on August 23.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a total of 4,43,37,201 samples have been tested up to September 1, of which 10,12,367 were tested on Tuesday.