The daily coronavirus infection tally remained below 60,000 for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, according to Union health ministry data. The total COVID-19 caseload is at 77,06,946, with 55,839 new infections being reported in a day, and a death toll of 1,16,616. Recoveries have crossed 68 lakh, with a rate of 89.20 per cent. The case fatality rate stood at 1.51 per cent.
There are 7,15,812 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which account for 9.29 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated. 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 and crossed 70 lakh on October 11.
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu had earlier urged people not to lower guard in the fight against coronavirus, especially during the festive season. His appeal came soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an address to the nation on Tuesday evening, asked people to follow the COVID-19 guidelines, saying this is not the time to be careless as the virus is still around and even a small negligence can dampen the festive spirit.
"As rightly advised by the prime minister in his address to the nation today, I appeal to every Indian to not lower the guard in the fight against COVID-19 during the upcoming festive season," the vice president secretariat tweeted, quoting Naidu. The vice president said the country has to continue the fight against coronavirus by wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining safe distance "till a vaccine is found and normalcy restored".
