New Delhi, May 20: The recovery rate from coronavirus further improved in India, as 39.62 percent of the total cases have been discharged so far, said the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday. The infection rate per lakh population is also way lower than the global average, shows the data released by the governments in the press briefing. The corresponding mortality rate is also significantly lower. COVID-19 Live Tracker: Map The Spread of Coronavirus in All Parts of India.

The number of active cases in India stands at 61,149, whereas, the number of recovered patients is 42,298. The cure rate is rapidly improving, the Health Ministry said, and may surpass the number of active infections in India in the next few days.

"When the first lockdown started, then recovery rate was around 7.1%, the recovery rate during 2nd lockdown was 11.42%, it then rose to 26.59%. Today the recovery rate is 39.62%," Agarwal, Union Health ministry joint secretary, told reporters.

Stats Shared by PIB

"If the total population of the world is taken into account then 62 people per lakh population have been affected due to COVID-19. In India, 7.9 people per lakh population of this country got affected due to COVID: Lav Agarwal, Union Health ministry joint secretary," he added.

"4.2 people per lakh population across the world have died due to COVID-19. In India it is 0.2 deaths per lakh population," Aggarwal further said. Although India's mortality rate is lower than most parts of the world, the country is among the handful of nations whose rate of infections continue to multiply at an alarming rate.

The per day death toll has surpassed Italy and Spain -- which were once the global hotspots. India had also surpassed China last week in terms of total cases. Currently, it falls among the 11 worst-affected nations in the world, and may end up surpassing Iran by next week, fear experts.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 20, 2020 05:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).