The ongoing trend of contraction of India's total active COVID-19 cases continues as the active caseload of the country stands at 2,77,301 today. The share of active cases in the total positive cases has further shrunk to 2.72 per cent, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

A net decline of 1,389 cases from the total active caseload was registered in the last 24 hours. Daily recoveries have outnumbered the daily new cases since more than a month now. In the last 24 hours, 20,021 persons were found to be COVID positive in the country.

During the same period, 21,131 new recoveries were registered ensuring a drop in the active caseload.

Total recoveries are nearing 98 lakhs (97,82,669). The recovery rate has also increased to 95.83 per cent. The gap between recoveries and active cases is consistently widening and has crossed 95 lakh (95,05,368) today.

When compared globally, India's cases per million population is amongst the lowest in the world (7,397). The global average is 10,149. Countries such as Russia, the UK, Italy, Brazil, France and the USA have much higher cases per million population.

72.99 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States and UTs.

Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 3,463 newly recovered cases. 2,124 people recovered in Maharashtra in the past 24 hours followed by 1,740 inWest Bengal. 79.61 per cent of the new cases are from 10 States and UTs.

Kerala continues to report the highest daily new cases at 4,905. It is followed by Maharashtra and West Bengal with 3,314 and 1,435 new cases, respectively.

279 case fatalities have been reported in the past 24 hours.

Ten States and UTs account for 80.29 per cent of daily deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (66). West Bengal and Kerala follow with 29 and 25 daily deaths, respectively.

Daily deaths in India due to COVID-19 are also on a sustained decline. Deaths per million population in India (107) are amongst the lowest in the world. The global average is 224. (ANI)