On Thursday India documented close to 17,000 new coronavirus diseases, pushing the overall total to 4.73 lakh as the number of casualties inched closer to 15,000, according to the Union Health Ministry's data. The rise in cases over the past few days also led to the revocation of exams in the country, including the pending papers of CBSE Class 10 and ICSE.

The data revised at 8 am showed the daily COVID-19 cases heightened by 16,922 to reach 4,73,105, while the death-toll ascended to 14,894 with 418 new fatalities. This was the sixth successive day when coronavirus cases intensified by more than 14,000.

Thereafter, India has added 92,573 cases since 20 June, and over 2.82 lakh this month since 1 June. However, the recovery rate has enhanced to 57.43 percent, as per the health ministry.

The number of active cases sits at 1,86,514 while 2,71,696 patients have recovered and one patient has migrated. A total of 13,012 COVID-19 patients were announced cured in a single day on Thursday. The total number of 4,73,105 verified cases included foreigners.

As per the ICMR, a total of 75,60,782 samples have been tested up to 24 June with 2,07,871 samples being tested on Wednesday.

The COVID-19 death toll surpassed 188 in Haryana, 164 in Karnataka, 124 in Andhra Pradesh, 113 in Punjab, 88 in Jammu and Kashmir, 57 in Bihar, 35 in Uttarakhand, 22 in Kerala and 17 in Odisha.

Chhattisgarh has reported 12 deaths, Jharkhand 11, Assam and Puducherry nine each, Himachal Pradesh eight, Chandigarh six, Goa two and Meghalaya, Tripura and Ladakh have reported one casualty each.

Maharashtra has documented the highest number of cases at 1,42,900 come after by Delhi at 70,390, Tamil Nadu at 67,468, Gujarat at 28,943, Uttar Pradesh at 19,557, Rajasthan at 16,009 and West Bengal at 15,173, according to ministry data.

The number of COVID-19 cases has ascended to 12,448 in Madhya Pradesh, 12,010 in Haryana, 10,444 in Telangana, 10,331 in Andhra Pradesh and 10,118 in Karnataka.
It has increased to 8,209 in Bihar, 6,422 in Jammu and Kashmir, 6,198 in Assam and 5,752 in Odisha. Punjab has recorded 4,627 novel coronavirus infections so far, while Kerala has 3,603 cases.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research)," the ministry said, adding, 8,493 cases are being reassigned to states. State-wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation, it added.