COVID-19: Over 70 per cent deaths due to this reason, confirms health ministry

In a major development, India's COVID-19 tally of cases climbed to 1,03,23,965 with 18,177 new cases in a day, while 99,27,310 people have recuperated so far pushing the national recovery rate to 96.15 per cent on Sunday, according to the Union Health Ministry data. 

The COVID-19 case fatality rate stood at 1.45 per cent. The death toll climbed to 1,49,435 with the novel coronavirus virus claiming 217 lives in a span of 24 hours in the country, the data updated at 8 am showed. Also, the health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

There are 2,47,220 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 2.39 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated. 

According to the ICMR, a cumulative total of 17,48,99,783 samples have been tested up to January 2 with 9,58,125 samples being tested on Saturday.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23 and 40 lakh on September 5. It went past 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11 and crossed 80 lakh on October 29 and 90 lakh on November 20 and one crore on December 19.

The 217 new fatalities include 51 from Maharashtra, 28 from West Bengal, 21 from Kerala, 15 from Punjab, 14 from Delhi, 11 from Chattisgarh, 8 from Uttar Pradesh and 7 from Uttarakhand.

A total of 149435 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 49,631 from Maharashtra followed by 12146 from Tamil Nadu, 12099 from Karnataka, 10571 from Delhi, 9766 from West Bengal, 8387 from Uttar Pradesh, 7111 from Andhra Pradesh, 5364 from Punjab and 4314 from Gujarat.

"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.