India Conducts Nearly 8.5 Lakh Coronavirus Tests in 24 Hours, Recovery Rate Rises to 71.17%

India has conducted a record 8,48,728 tests for detection of COVID-19 in a day with an aim to achieve a daily target of 10 lakh, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

The cumulative figure of tests has now gone up to 2,76,94,416 as a result of ramping up of testing facilities on a sustained basis, it said.

Meanwhile, the total recoveries from COVID-19 in the country have crossed 17.5 lakh.

Successful implementation of "testing aggressively, tracking comprehensively and treating efficiently" has ensured a rising recovery rate at 71.17 per cent as on date, while effective clinical management through a standard of care treatment protocol has further ensured progressive and sustained decline in the mortality among COVID patients, the

ministry stated.

"The COVID-19 case fatality rate is pegged at 1.95 per cent as on date, maintaining its path of steady decline," it said.

The recoveries exceed the active cases of coronavirus infection by 1,089,960, the ministry said.

There are 6,61,595 active cases of coronavirus infection in India at present which comprise 26.88 per cent of the total caseload in the country.

A record high of 8,48,728 tests were conducted in a span of 24 hours on Thursday taking the cumulative tests to 2,76,94,416, the ministry said.

The WHO in its guidance note on 'Public Health Criteria to Adjust Public Health and Social Measures in the Context of COVID-19' has advised comprehensive surveillance for suspected cases.

The WHO has also advised that a country needs 140 tests per day per million population, the ministry said.

"While the national average is 603 tests per day per million population, with focussed efforts of the Centre and effective implementation by the states and union territories, 34 of them have exceeded this figure.

"States and union territories are being advised to scale up the testing on a commensurate level with the prevailing positivity," the ministry said.

Andhra Pradesh is conducting 2,822 tests per day per million population, Tamil Nadu 925, Karnataka 856, Delhi 836, Assam 829, Bihar 717, Maharashtra 553, Uttar Pradesh 424, Gujarat 421, Telangana 394, West Bengal 361, Rajasthan 345 and Madhya Pradesh 218 tests per day per million population, according to ministry data.

India's COVID-19 tally rose to 24,61,190 with 64,553 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, while the death toll climbed to 48,040 with 1,007 people succumbing to the disease in a span of 24 hours, the health ministry's data updated at 8 am showed.