Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
New Delhi, April 16
India added a record 2,17,353 new coronavirus infections in a day taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,42,91,917, while active cases surpassed the 15-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.
This is the second consecutive day that the country has reported over two lakh cases.
The death toll increased to 1,74,308 with 1,185 new fatalities, the highest since September 19, 2020, the data updated at 8 am showed.
Registering a steady increase for the 37th day in a row, the active cases have increased to 15,69,743, comprising 10.98 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID recovery rate dropped to 87.8 per cent.
The active caseload was at its lowest at 1,35,926 on February 12 and it was at its highest at 10,17,754 on September 18, 2020.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,25,47,866, while the case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.22 per cent, the data stated.
According to the ICMR, 26,34,76,625 samples have been tested up to April 15 with 14,73,210 samples being tested on Thursday.
Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 61,695. It is followed by Uttar Pradesh with 22,339 while Delhi reported 16,699 new cases.
Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (349), followed by Chhattisgarh with 135 daily deaths, Delhi with 112, Uttar Pradesh 104, Gujarat 81, Karnataka 66, Madhya Pradesh 53, Punjab 50, Rajasthan 33 and Tamil Nadu 29. 
