India records 56,211 fresh COVID-19 cases

Registering a steady increase for the 20th day in row, active cases have increased to 5,40,720 comprising 4.47 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 94.19 per cent.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,13,93,021, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.

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.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 24,26,50,025 samples have been tested up to March 29 with 7,85,864 samples being tested on Monday.

Some experts said that the low count of daily cases could be because of lower testing on account of Holi on Monday. The number of samples tested on Sunday were 9,13,319, according to the ICMR.

The 271 new fatalities include 102 from Maharashtra, 59 Punjab, 20 from Chhattisgarh, 16 from Karnataka, 14 from Tamil Nadu and 11 from Kerala.

A total of 1,62,114 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 54,283 from Maharashtra, 12, 684 from Tamil Nadu, 12,520 from Karnataka, 11,012 from Delhi, 10,325 from West Bengal, 8,790 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,210 from Andhra Pradesh and 6,749 from Punjab.

The Health Ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

''Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,'' the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.