With a record single-day surge of 55,078 infections, India's COVID-19 caseload raced past 16 lakh on Friday, just two days after it reached the 15-lakh mark, while the number of recoveries rose to 10,57,805, according to Union Health Ministry data.

The country has so far registered 16,38,870 instances of the coronavirus infection. The death toll increased to 35,747 with 779 fatalities being reported in 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.