India on Friday reported 3,43,144 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, taking its overall caseload past the 2.40 crore mark. 

The death toll rose to 2,62,317 by a single-day rise of 4,000 deaths in a day, according to the Union health ministry data.

Meanwhile, the active cases have reduced to 37,04,893 comprising 15.41 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has improved to 83.50 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,00,79,599, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.09 per cent.

In the past 22 days India's daily Covid tally has plateaued over the three-lakh-mark and over 3,000 casualties for a fortnight. India had recorded 4,205 deaths on Tuesday, the highest in a single day till now.

The country has added nearly 14 crore cases and over 16,000 deaths this week.

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. India crossed the grim milestone of 2 crore on May 4.

According to the ICMR, 31,13,24,100 samples have been tested up to May 13 with 18,75,515 samples being tested on Thursday.

Source: Time of India

BDST: 1143 HRS, May 14, 2021
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