New Delhi: With 16,311 new coronavirus infections reported in the last 24 hours on Monday, India recorded the lowest one-day figure in over six months taking India's overall tally to 1,04,66,595.
The death toll reached 1,51,160 with 161 more fatalities, the lowest in the last seven-and-half-months, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,00,92,909, pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate to 96.43 per cent, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.44 per cent.
The COVID-19 active caseload remained below three lakh. There are 2,22,526 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprise 2.13 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, 18,17,55,831 samples have been tested so far with 6,59,209 samples being tested on Sunday.
Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state till date with 19,69,114 total cases. About 82.25 per cent of the daily new cases are being reported by nine states -- Kerala, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Gujarat.
Meanwhile, the most-awaited mass vaccination drive is slated to begin from January 16, with approval of two vaccines. The Central government plans to vaccinate nearly 30 crore people in the first phase of drive.
It will be offered to one crore healthcare workers, along with two crore frontline and essential workers, 26 crore people above the age of 50 and one crore below 50 with comorbidities.
(With Agency Inputs)