Covid tally crosses 28L-mark, recovery rate nears 74%

New Delhi: Even though India on Thursday recorded new COVID-19 cases close to 70,000, the recoveries among Coronavirus patients in the country surged close to 21 lakh, pushing recovery rate to 73.91 per cent, while only 0.28 per cent people of 6,86,395 active cases are on ventilator support.

The case fatality rate dipped further to 1.90 per cent, which is lowest in the world, as death toll mounted to 53,866, including 977 deaths in the last 24 hours.

With 69,652 new COVID-19 cases, the total tally mounted to 28,36,925 out of which 6,86,395 are active cases and 20,96,664 have recovered so far. The country recorded 58,794 new recoveries in the last 24 hours.

"India has posted 14,10,269 more recoveries than active cases. There are 6,86,395 active cases of Coronavirus infection which are under active medical care. The record high recoveries have ensured that the actual caseload of the country has reduced and currently comprises only 24.19 per cent of the total positive cases," the Health Ministry said.

Of the active cases of Coronavirus infection, 1.92 per cent are in ICU and 2.62 per cent on oxygen support, the ministry said, adding that recovery of 20,96,664 patients has been made possible because of effective implementation of the policy of testing aggressively, tracking comprehensively and treating efficiently.

"Focus on standard of care protocol, including use of non-invasive oxygen, better-skilled doctors in the ICUs and hospitals, and improved ambulance services have culminated in yielding the desired results," it said.

Meanwhile, with a record 9,18,470 tests being done in a day, the cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in India have reached 3.26 crore even as the national positivity rate has fallen below 8 per cent. The ICMR has also ramped up its testing facilities to 1,494, including 977 labs in the government network and 517 in the private sector.