Record single-day spike of 66,999 cases takes India’s Covid-19 tally to nearly 2.4 million

The number of active cases in the country are 6,53,622 while 16,95,982 patients (or more than double the number of active cases) have been discharged so far.

India saw its Covid-19 tally jump by 66,999 new cases - highest single-day spike - on Thursday which pushed the number of cases to nearly 2.4 million.

A health worker in PPE coveralls collects a swab sample from a person for coronavirus rapid antigen test, at Keshopur in New Delhi, on Wednesday.(Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

The country recorded 942 fresh fatalities in the last 24 hours, which pushed the death toll due to the disease to 47,033.

The number of active cases in the country are 6,53,622 while 16,95,982 patients (or more than double the number of active cases) have been discharged so far, according to Union health ministry update on Thursday morning.

There were 60,963 cases and 834 deaths between Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

There have been 6,33,650 cases in the 12 days (till Wednesday) and at least 58,000 cases on an average over the past week every day - the highest in the world. India is ranked third in terms of the number of cases. The country had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7.

However, in further relief, the case fatality rate has declined to 1.98 per cent, according to the government. The health ministry added that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

“With more patients recovering and being discharged from hospitals and home isolation (in case of mild and moderate cases), the total recoveries have crossed the 16 lakh-mark and recovery rate has reached another high of 70.38 per cent,” it further added.

Focus on improved and effective clinical treatment in hospitals, use of non-invasive, improved and coordinated services of the ambulances for ferrying patients for prompt and timely treatment have resulted in seamless efficient patient management of Covid-19 patients, the health ministry said.