India records highest one-day jump in Covid cases with 72,330 infections

India saw72,330 new coronavirus infections being reported in a span of 24 hours,the highest single day rise so far this year, takingthe COVID-19tally of cases to1,22,21,665,according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The single-day rise in casesis thehighest recorded since October 11, 2020,while the death toll increased to 1,62,927 with459daily new fatalities, the highest in around 116 days, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Registering a steady increase for the 22nd day in row, the active cases have increased to5,84,055comprising 4.78per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 93.89 per cent, the data stated.

As many as74,383new infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours on October 11.

The active caseload was at its lowest at1, 35,926 on February 12 comprising 1.25 per cent of the total infections.

Thenumber of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,14,74,683. The case fatality rate has further has dropped to 1.33 per cent, the data stated.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7,30 lakh onAugust 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and50 lakh onSeptember 16.It went past60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh onOctober 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29,90 lakh onNovember 20 andsurpassed theone-crore mark on December 19.

According to the ICMR, 24,47,98,621 samples have been tested up toMarch 31with11,25,681 samples being tested on Wednesday.