Amid global fears over the new mutant strains of coronavirus, detected in the United Kingdom and South Africa, India recorded 20,549 fresh infections in the last 24 hours taking the COVID-19 caseload to 1,02,44,852. The recoveries crossed 98 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
The death count increased to 1,48,439 with 286 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 978,34,141 pushing the national recovery rate to 95.99 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.
Twenty cases of a mutant strain of coronavirus that first surfaced in the UK, have been detected in the country. The new strain is believed to be 70 per cent more infectious, but doctors have said there is no reason yet to believe that it is more lethal or will not be controlled by a vaccine.
Meanwhile, the Indian government on Wednesday extended the suspension of flights to and from the United Kingdom till January 7 amid alarm over the new highly contagious strain of the coronavirus.
