India reports 208,921 Covid cases; conducts highest single-day tests

India on Wednesday reported 208,921 Covid infections, as the country conducted 2,217,320 coronavirus tests, its highest-ever in a day, according to Union Health Ministry data

India on Wednesday reported 2,08,921 COVID-19 infections, pushing the overall tally of cases to 2,71,57,795, as the country conducted 22,17,320 coronavirus tests, its highest-ever in a day, according to Union Health Ministry data.

The death toll also climbed to 3,11,388 with 4,157 fatalities reported in a 24-hour period, the data updated at 8 am showed.

A total of 22,17,320 tests, the highest in a day, were conducted on Tuesday taking the cumulative number so far in the country to 33,48,11,496, while the daily positivity declined to 9.42 per cent, the ministry said.

This is the second day in a row that positivity rate has remained below 10 per cent, the ministry said. Weekly positivity rate has also declined to 11.45 per cent.

The updated data showed that the number of active cases have further come down to 24,95,59, constituting 9.19 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 89.66 per cent.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,43,50,816, while the case fatality rate was 1.15 per cent, the data showed.

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.

India crossed the grim milestone of 2 crore on May 4.