New Delhi: India's daily COVID-19 case count fell below 23,000 after a little over five months, while the national recovery rate stood at over 95 per cent, according to data updated by the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday.
The coronavirus caseload mounted to 99,06,165 with 22,065 infections being reported in a day, while the death toll rose to 1,43,709 with 354 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The last time India recorded around 20,000 cases was on July 2 when there were 20,903 fresh cases reported in 24 hours; on July 3 it was 22,771; July 6 it was 22,251. On Monday, India recorded 27,071 fresh cases.
Cases have only dipped a handful number of times since its steady surge starting June-end and touching the crescendo in September when it was nearly 98,000 cases a day.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 94,22,636 pushing the national recovery rate to 95.12 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.
The COVID-19 active caseload remained below four lakh for the eighth consecutive day.
There are 3,39,820 active coronavirus infections in the country which constitute 3.43 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; and 40 lakh on September 5. It went past 50 lakh on September 16; 60 lakh on September 28; 70 lakh on October 11; 80 lakh on October 29; and 90 lakh on November 20.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 15,55,60,655 samples have been tested up to December 14, of which 9,93,665 were conducted on Monday.
Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state. Over 70 per cent of the daily new cases were reported by 10 states and UT -- Maharashtra (2,949), Kerala (2,707), West Bengal (1,834), Chhattisgarh (1,615), Delhi (1,376), Rajasthan (1,250), Uttar Pradesh (1,172), Tamil Nadu (1,141) Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.
(With Agency Inputs)