With 20,550 new coronavirus infections and 286 deaths in the past 24 hours, India's overall tally - in a nation of 1.3 billion people - stood at 1,02,44,853 on Wednesday, while the death toll touched 1,48,439, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

Till now, 9,83,4141 have recovered. Currently, there are 2,62,272 active cases. The recovery rate stands at 95.99 per cent while the fatality rate is 1.45 as per cent.

COVID-19 has hit men harder than women in India, where 70 per cent of the approximately 147,000 lakh people who died since the national outbreak in January were male, the ministry announced.

Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state till date. Over 70 per cent of the daily new cases are being reported by 10 states and union territory -- Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Chattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh (in random order).

India has recorded 15 more cases of the new UK coronavirus mutant strain, taking the total number of such cases to 21, data from the Union Health Ministry and state departments showed on Wednesday.

(IANS)