New Delhi: India recorded 18,087 fresh cases of coronavirus infections taking the country's overall tally to 1,03,74,932, while the recoveries are nearing one crore, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Wednesday.
The death toll increased to 1,50,114 with 264 people succumbing to the disease in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 99,97,272 pushing the national recovery rate to 96.36 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.
The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh for the 16th consecutive day.
There are 2,27,546, active cases of coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 2.19 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
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.It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.
According to the ICMR, 17,74,63,405 samples have been tested up to January 5 with 9,31,408 samples being tested on Tuesday.
Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state till date. Over 84 per cent of the daily new cases are being reported by 10 states -- Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
Mass vaccination drive is slated to begin soon, with the approval of two vaccines.
The Central government plans to vaccinate nearly 30 crore people in the first phase of the drive. It will be offered to one crore healthcare workers, along with 2 crore frontline and essential workers and 27 crore elderly, mostly above the age of 50 years with comorbidities.
(With Agency Inputs)