44 more die in Punjab as nation sees highest single-day Covid cases since November

New Delhi, March 22

India saw 46,951 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, the highest so far this year, taking the nationwide Covid tally to 1,16,46,081, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

Registering an increase for the 12th day in a row, the total active caseload has increased to 3,34,646, which now comprises 2.87 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 95.75 per cent, the data stated.

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The daily rise in infections was the highest recorded in 130 days, while  the death toll increased to 1,59,967 with 212 daily new fatalities, the highest in 72 days, the data updated at 8 am showed.

As many as 47,905 infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours on November 12.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,11,51,468, while the case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.37 per cent, the data stated.

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According to the ICMR, 23,44,45,774 samples have been tested up to March 21 with 8,80,655 samples being tested on Sunday. 

The 212 new fatalities include 99 from Maharashtra, 44 from Punjab, 13 from Kerala and 10 from Chhattisgarh.

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A total of 1,59,967 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 53,399 from Maharashtra, 12,599 from Tamil Nadu, 12,434 from Karnataka, 10,956 from Delhi, 10,306 from West Bengal, 8,759 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,189 from Andhra Pradesh. PTI