New Delhi, Jul 31 (UNI) India is gradually becoming one of the largest hotbed of Corona in terms of total cases but on a positive side the number of recoveries and also the record number of tests at 6,42,588 in the past 24 hours taking the cumulative tests to more than 1.88 crore ignites euphoria.
With more discharged and cured cases registered, the recovery rate in the country stood at 64.54 per cent, as per the data released by Health ministry said on Friday.
A total of 1057806 COVID patients have defeated the virus till date across the nation.
Meanwhile, a total of 1,88,32,970 samples have been tested for COVID as per the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) till Thursday.
India on Friday recorded 37223 fresh COVID recoveries in the past 24 hours, while 17076 active cases were diagnosed in the same duration, the Health Ministry said.
Active case load on the country at present stands at 545318.
Pandemic fatalities as on Friday have increased to 35747 so far, after 779 more lives were claimed by the virus in the past one day, and the death rate here presently is 2.18 per cent.
However, India's overall COVID tally has now crossed 16 lakh mark, as per the Ministry data.
Briefing the Group of Ministers on the current status of Covid-19 in India, Dr Harsh Vardhan speaking on the severity of cases found in India, said, "Out of the total Active Cases, only 0.28 per cent patients are on ventilators, 1.61 per cent patients needed ICU support and 2.32 per cent are on oxygen support."
The Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, who was chairing the 19th meeting of the high-level GoM on COVID-19 through video-conferencing, said India has achieved the milestone of more than 1 million recoveries which has taken the Recovery Rate to 64.54 per cent. This showed that the active cases under medical supervision were only 33.27 per cent or approximately 1/3rd of total positive cases. "India’s Case Fatality Rate is also progressively reducing and currently stands at 2.18 per cent, one of the lowest globally," he added.
Speaking on the rapidly expanding testing capacity of India, he highlighted that as on date, through a network of 1,331 labs (with 911- Government labs and 420 private labs) the country has conducted a record 6,42,588 tests in the last 24 hours. This has taken the cumulative tests to more than 1.88 crore.
Dr Harsh Vardhan highlighted that efforts are being made to reduce mortality in high case load districts and cities showing recent upsurge like Pune, Thane, Bengaluru, Hyderabad etc. The measures to be taken include revamping the strategy for effective management of containment zones through stricter perimeter control; widespread Rapid Antigen Tests; intensive & rapid door-to-door search; more isolation facilities for suspects/cases; standard case management protocols along with increase in oxygen supported beds & ventilators and assessing true burden through planned sero-surveys. Jan Chetana through targeted IEC campaigns and Jan Bhagidari (community involvement) were suggested as the way forward.
Statewise, Uttar Pradesh reported highest ever spike of 4,453 fresh Covid-19 cases in a day on Friday taking the tally to 85,261.
Also, it achieved a milestone of conducting for over 1.15 lakh tests in a day, making it highest in the country.

The death toll too touched 1630 with 43 fresh casualties in a day.
In Khushinagar district of UP, at least 69 more individuals, including a Tehsildar, were among the fresh cases of the novel coronavirus, pushing the total number of cases to 692. Out of the total number of cases, 359 have recovered completely while 10 have succumbed to the contagion. 279 active cases were currently undergoing treatment. There were 141 containment areas in the district, government sources said.
In Jaunpur, with 140 more people testing positive for the novel coronavirus, the total number of cases increased to 1899, District Magistrate (DM) said on Friday. He said out of the total 1899 cases, 996 have recovered completely. 30 patients have so far succumbed to the infection. At present, 873 active patients were being treated in the district.
The official said, Thursday a record 1,15,618 tests were done and now the total Covid tests in the state has reached another milestone of 23,25,428 so far in UP. Of the total tests conducted on Thursday, 3,358 were pool of 5 samples and 302 pools of 10 samples. In the 5 sample pool 531 were found positive while in 10 sample pool 30 were found positive.There are 34,973 people in the isolation and 2584 in the facility quarantine.
Presently, around 2.04 lakh health teams have covered 1.47 crore houses in the state to screen over 7.44 crore people of their health in 40,823 areas in Uttar Pradesh.

He added that 1213 new samples have been drawn and 37,730 total samples have been taken since the outbreak of the pandemic in UP.
Extreme north, Eight people -- including seven from Kashmir and one from Jammu -- died due to COVID-19 since late Thursday evening, taking the death toll due to the infection in the Union Territory of J&K to 373.
With these fatalities, the death toll due to COVID-19 has risen to 117 in Srinagar which is the worst affected district in J&K in terms of causalities, followed by Baramulla with 69 deaths. The number has swelled to 24 in Anantnag and 26 in Budgam. As many as 23 people each have lost their lives to the disease in Shopian and 20 in Kupwara while 21 deaths were reported in Pulwama.
The number of deaths stands at 28 in Kulgam. Twelve people have lost their lives in Bandipora. Ganderbal district recorded sixth death due to COVID-19 on July 24. The number has swelled to 18 in Jammu while Ramban reported its first COVID-19 related death on Tuesday.
Ten districts of Jammu have reported 26 fatalities while 347 people have lost their lives due to COVID-19 in ten districts of Kashmir.As many as 61 people, including 57 from Kashmir and four from Jammu, succumbed during last week.
Sixty five people lost their lives between July 13 and 19 due to the virus in J&K. As many as 48 patients -- including 10 people from Baramulla, 12 from Srinagar, six from Kulgam, three from Anantnag, Kupwara and Budgam, Jammu region, two each from Shopian and Ganderbal, one patient each from Pulwama, Bandipora and a BSF jawan -- died due to COVID-19 between July 6 and 12.
As many as 41 people -- including nine from Srinagar, 10 from Baramulla, five each from Anantnag, three from Kulgam, Budgam and Shopian, two each from Kupwara and Bandipora, one each from Jammu and Ganderbal -- died due to COVID-19 between June 29 and July 5.
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