India creates new global record, conducts 20 lakh COVID-19 tests in single day

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New Delhi: Amid the ongoing battle against the deadly coronavirus, the country set another landmark by conducting the highest ever - 20 lakh - COVID-19 tests in a single day - a new global record, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

The achievement was registered at a time when the daily COVID recoveries outnumbered daily new cases for the sixth consecutive day.

"More than 20 lakh tests were conducted in the last 24 hours (the highest ever conducted in a single day in India), while the daily positivity rate has declined to 13.31 per cent," the Health Ministry said.

India conducted across the country yesterday! The highest number of tests conducted globally in a single day. This has been made possible by the tireless work of laboratory staff and partners! @MoHFW_INDIA @PMOIndia #CoronaUpdatesInIndia #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/1x6tfXicZb -- ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) May 19, 2021

"20.08 lakh tests conducted in the last 24 hours in the country is also a global record," the ministry said.

#Unite2FightCorona pic.twitter.com/4ShJuUOfmn — Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) May 19, 2021

Over 32 crore tests have been conducted so far across the country since the COVID pandemic began. Meanwhile, India`s daily recoveries outnumbered daily new cases for the sixth consecutive day with 3,89,851 recoveries registered in the last 24 hours.

India`s cumulative recoveries have reached 2,19,86,363 on Wednesday, and the National Recovery Rate has grown further to touch 86.23 per cent.

Ten states account for 74.94 per cent of the new recoveries with Karnataka on top with 58,395 cases followed by Maharashtra (52,898), Kerala (45,926), Rajasthan (25,160), Tamil Nadu (21,362), Andhra Pradesh (21,274), Uttar Pradesh (21,108), West Bengal (19,050), Haryana (14,897) and Chandigarh (12,098).

Continuing the positive trend, India recorded less than 3 lakh new cases for three consecutive days, and 2,67,334 new cases were registered in the last 24 hours.

Ten states reported 74.46 per cent of the new cases in the last 24 hours. Tamil Nadu has reported the highest daily new cases at 33,059, followed by Kerala with 31,337 new cases.

On the other front, India`s total Active Caseload has decreased to 32,26,719 on Wednesday. A net decline of 1,27,046 is witnessed in the last 24 hours. It now comprises 12.66 per cent of the country`s total positive cases.

Eight states - Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal -- cumulatively account for 69.02 per cent of India`s total active cases.

(With Agency Inputs)