Coronavirus in India: 3.26 lakh new COVID-19 cases, 3,890 deaths in 24 hours; tally past 24.37 million

India recorded 3,26,098 fresh COVID-19 cases and 3,890 deaths in the last 24 hours, showing a gradual decline in daily coronavirus count. The overall tally and death toll stand at 2,43,72,907 and 2,66,207 respectively, as per the latest update by the Union Health Ministry on Saturday, May 15.

The top five states that have reported maximum COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours are Karnataka with 41,779 cases, followed by Maharashtra with 39,923 cases, Kerala with 34,694 cases, Tamil Nadu with 31,892 cases, and Andhra Pradesh with 22,018 cases.

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Of the 3,890 fatalities registered in the past 24 hours, Maharashtra reported maximum deaths (695), followed by Karnataka with 373 deaths, Uttar Pradesh with 311 fatalities, Delhi with 289 deaths, Tamil Nadu with 288 deaths, Uttarakhand with 181 deaths, Punjab with 180 deaths, Chhattisgarh with 172 deaths, Haryana with 164 deaths, Rajasthan with 155 deaths, West Bengal with 136 deaths, and Gujarat with 104 deaths.

So far, 2,66,207 deaths have been reported in the country, including 79,552 from Maharashtra, 21,085 from Karnataka, 20,907 from Delhi, 17,056 from Tamil Nadu, 16,957 from Uttar Pradesh, 12,993 from West Bengal, 11,477 from Punjab and 11,461, from Chhattisgarh.

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.

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As many as 3,53,299 people recovered in the past 24 hours, taking the total recoveries to 20,432,898, whereas the case fatality rate stands at 1.09 per cent. Meanwhile, the active caseload has reduced to 36,73,802 and comprises 15.07 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 83.83 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year, 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 last year.

The country's case tally crossed the two-crore mark on May 4.

According to ICMR, 31,30,17,193 samples have been tested up to May 14 with 6,93,093 samples being tested on Friday.