New Delhi, August 13: On the day when India posted its sharpest spike so far in new COVID-19 cases, the country also recorded the highest-ever single-day recoveries. In the past 24 hours, a total of 56,383 patients were discharged from the medical facilities, as per the latest update issued by the Union Health Ministry. India Reports Highest Single-Day Spike of 66,999 COVID-19 Cases; Coronavirus Tally Inches Closer to 24 Lakh, Death Toll Mounts to 47,033.

The period also saw the tally of fresh infections surging to a record single-day high at 66,999. A total of 942 nationwide deaths due to coronavirus were also recorded in the corresponding period.

Even as the overall count of COVID-19 crossed the 2.4 million mark in India on Thursday, solace for the country remains the increasing number of recoveries combined with the dwindling fatality rate. The case fatality rate dropped to 1.96 percent.

Update by ANI

"India posts highest-ever single day recoveries of 56,383 in a single day. With this number, the total recovered COVID-19 patients have touched nearly 17 lakhs (16,95,982) today. The case fatality rate has further improved to 1.96 percent," Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement issued hours after releasing the daily stats.

The case fatality rate in India, for the first time since outbreak of the virus in mid-March, dropped below 2 percent on Tuesday. In the past 48 hours, the death rate further dwindled to 1.96 percent. In his virtual meeting with Chief Ministers two days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stressed on bringing the fatality rate to below 1 percent.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 13, 2020 03:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).