COVID-19 caseload in India climbs to 80,88,851 with 48,648 new cases
New Delhi: India saw 48,648 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day taking the COVID-19 caseload to 80,88,851, while active cases fell below 6,00,000 and the national recovery rate crossed 91 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.
The COVID-19 death toll in the country climbed to 1,21,090 with 563 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
A total of 73,73,375 people have recuperated from COVID-19 so far pushing the national recovery rate to 91.15 per cent while the case fatality rate stands at 1.50 per cent.
There are 5,94,386 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country as on date which comprises 7.35 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, 70 lakh on October 11 and crossed 80 lakh on October 29.
According to the ICMR, a cumulative total of 10,77,28,088 samples have been tested up to October 29 with 11,64,648 samples being tested on Thursday.
The 563 new fatalities include 156 from Maharashtra, 61 from West Bengal, 53 from Chhattisgarh, 45 from Karnataka, 35 from Tamil Nadu, 27 from Delhi and 26 from Kerala.
A total of 1,21,090 deaths reported so far in the country including 43,710 from Maharashtra followed by 11,091 from Karnataka, 11,053 from Tamil Nadu, 6,983 from Uttar Pradesh, 6,725 from West Bengal, 6,659 from Andhra Pradesh, 6,423 from Delhi, 4,168 from Punjab and 3,705 from Gujarat.
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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Bengal: Over 55 pc turnout till 1 pm in repoll in 15 booths of 2 assembly seats
Kolkata (PTI): Over 55 per cent turnout was recorded till 1 pm in repoll in 15 booths of two assembly constituencies in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Saturday, an official said.
Voting was underway more or less peacefully at 11 polling stations of Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency and four in Diamond Harbour, where the EC ordered repoll a day ago, following reports of electoral malpractices.
However, at booth number 179 at Chanda Primary School of Diamond Harbour seat, the Trinamool Congress alleged that a specially abled voter and his mother were harassed by central forces. The alleged incident sparked protests by party workers and locals.
The TMC claimed that the voter's mother, who had entered the booth to assist him, and her son were detained for a considerable time by central forces over alleged rule violations.
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"TMC leaders Manmohini Biswas and Pratik Ur Rahman reached the spot and led the protests, with residents terming the action unwarranted harassment. The matter has been taken care of by our officials there," an official of the poll body said.
Polling was otherwise peaceful across 15 booths in the area, he added.
Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, the official said, adding that till 1 pm, the turnout was 55.57 per cent.
Magrahat Paschim registered 56.33 per cent voter turnout, while in Diamond Harbour, it was 54.9 per cent, a poll official stated.
Voting in these two assembly constituencies was held in the second phase of the state elections on April 29.
The repoll order was based on reports received from returning officers and observers of the two constituencies and "material circumstances", the Election Commission official said.
In Magrahat Paschim, TMC's Md Samim Ahamed Molla is pitted against BJP nominee Goursundar Ghosh, while Abdul Majid Halder of the Congress and ISF candidate Abdul Aziz Al Hassan are also in the fray.
TMC candidate Panna Lal Halder is contesting against Dipak Kumar Halder of the BJP in the Diamond Harbour seat. Goutam Bhattacharya of the Congress and CPI(M)'s Samar Naiya are among other candidates.
The BJP had alleged rampant electoral malpractices in certain polling stations of both the assembly seats under the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, which is represented by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
The EC had deputed its special observer, Subrata Gupta, to fact-check the allegations from the ground.
The poll panel will decide on repolling in the Falta assembly constituency on Saturday.
The West Bengal assembly elections were held in two phases -- April 23 and April 29 -- amid unprecedented security arrangements.
Counting of votes will take place on May 4.
