India clocks less than 10 lakh active COVID cases for 13th consecutive day: Health Ministry

India has maintained its steady trend of clocking less than 10 lakh active COVID-19 cases for the 13th consecutive day. The number of active cases reported till Sunday was 9,37,625 -- 7,371 less than Saturday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

As many as 82,260 people recovered in the last 24 hours, against 75,829 new cases reported, along with 940 deaths, it added. "With this India's total recoveries crossed 55 lakh on Sunday. The national recovery rate at present is 84.13 per cent... Also, the contribution of active cases to the positive caseload has reduced to 14.32 per cent as on date."

A release by the government said of the newly recovered cases, 75.44 per cent have been recorded in 10 States and Union Territories. Being the leading State with the highest number of active cases, Maharashtra has also contributed the highest number to the newly recovered cases, followed by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, said the release.

It added that 10 States and Union Territories also account for 77.11 per cent of the active cases in the country. "Among the 10 States and Union Territories, Maharashtra contributed more than 14,000 to the new cases in the last 24 hours, while Karnataka and Kerala reported 9,886 and 7,834 new cases, respectively."

Even 80.53 per cent of the newly reported fatalities were from 10 States and Union Territories, of which 29.57 per cent was from Maharashtra with 278 deaths on Saturday, followed by Karnataka with 100, the government said. "Maharashtra's contribution to the death toll, however, has been on a decline."

It added that India tested more than 10 lakh samples each on Thursday, Friday and Saturday despite an extended weekend.

"There has been a commensurate dip in the positivity rate... Very high levels of testing lead to (an) early identification (of the disease), prompt isolation and effective treatment of COVID-19 cases. These have eventually resulted in a sustained low Fatality Rate," said the release by the Central government.

( With inputs from ANI )