India’s total of COVID-19 infections crossed the 29-lakh mark with a single-day spike of 68,898 while the recoveries have increased to more than 21 lakh taking the recovery rate to over 74.30 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data on Friday (August 21, 2020).
The total recoveries surged to 21,58,946 with 62,282 more people recuperating from the infection in the past 24 hours.
The total cases of coronavirus infections mounted to 29,05,823 which includes 6,92,028 active cases of while the death toll rose to 54,849 with 983 new fatalities being reported in a span of 24 hours.
India crossed the 29 lakh cases in over 200 days since the emergence of the first case on January 30. On July 17, the country had registerd 10 lakh cases, which then doubled to 20 lakh in 20 days on August 7. While more than nine lakh cases were added in just 14 days.
The case fatality rate has declined to 1.89 per cent while the recovery rate has risen to 74.30 per cent.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 3,34,67,237 samples have been tested up to August 20 with 8,05,985 samples being tested on Thursday.
India’s eight states have recorded higher than one lakh number of COVID-19 cases each. It includes Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal and Bihar.
Maharashtra remained the worst-hit state with a total of 6,43,289 cases and 21,359 deaths; followed by Tamil Nadu with 3,61,435 cases and 6,239 deaths.
India is third in the world behind the US with 55,73,501 cases and 1,73,114 deaths, followed by Brazil with 35,01,975 infections and 1,12,304 deaths.