India's covid-19 death toll breached the 70,000 mark as 1065 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday.

The number of deaths due to the infection has reached 70,626.

The country registered a hike of more than 90,000 cases for the first time in a single day as 90,633 new cases COVID-19 cases were reported in the last 24 hours, taking India's total coronavirus cases to 41,13,812

The total case tally stands 41,13,812 at including 8,62,320 active cases, 31,80,866 cured/discharged/migrate and 70,626 deaths.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan yesterday held a review meeting with the Health Secretaries of six States and Union Territories through video conference on the containment and management of COVID in 35 districts.

These 35 districts comprise Kolkata, Howrah, North 24 Parganas and 24 South Parganas in West Bengal, Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, Kolhapur, Sangli, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Raigad, Jalgaon, Solapur, Satara, Palghar, Aurangabad, Dhule and Nanded in Maharashtra, Surat in Gujarat, Puducherry, East Singhbhum in Jharkhand and all 11 districts in Delhi.

Addressing the participants, Mr Bhushan underscored the need to suppress, curb and eventually break the chain of transmission of the infectious disease by strengthening the active case search focusing on the comorbids and elderly population. He advised them for strengthening the containment measures in the affected areas and scaling up the testing to decrease the positivity rates below five per cent.

Mr Bhushan and State Health Secretaries also discussed the detailed roadmaps and action plans for the next one month.The States and UTs were advised to take steps on limiting the spread of the infection by implementing stringent containment measures and following social distancing measures. They have been also advised for effective monitoring of home isolation cases and early hospitalization in case of disease progression.