India reports 70,589 new cases, 776 deaths as tally crosses 61-lakh mark 

The coronavirus tally of India has crossed the 61-lakh mark with a spike of 70,589 new cases and 776 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

Case tally stands at 61,45,292 including 9,47,576 active cases, 51,01,398 cured/discharged/migrated & 96,318 deaths, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's latest update read.

Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that the duration of several schemes has been extended till December 31 due to COVID-19.

"The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has extended the duration of several schemes till 31.12.2020 in view of the continued disruption caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic in certain parts of the country and to provide greater Ease of Doing Business," a tweet from the Office of Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Meanwhile, the global death toll from COVID-19 rose past 1 million on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, a bleak milestone in a pandemic that has devastated the global economy, overloaded health systems and changed the way people live.

The number of deaths from the novel coronavirus this year is now double the number of people who die annually from malaria - and the death rate has increased in recent weeks as infections surge in several countries.

"Our world has reached an agonizing milestone," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)