Women wearing face masks are seen at a market in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Nov. 26, 2020. India's COVID-19 tally reached 9,266,705 on Thursday. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

 
India's COVID-19 tally reached 9,499,413 on Wednesday as 36,604 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, said the latest data from the federal health ministry.

According to the data, the death toll mounted to 138,122 as 501 COVID-19 patients died since Tuesday morning.

There are still 428,644 active cases in the country, while 8,932,647 people have been discharged so far from hospitals after medical treatment, added the ministry's latest data.

Over the past few days, the national capital Delhi has been witnessing a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases. In the past 24 hours, as many as 4,006 new cases and 86 deaths were recorded, according to Delhi's health department.

Till date, Delhi's death toll has reached 9,260. The state government has decided not to reopen schools till a vaccine is available to ensure the safety of the students.

Meanwhile, the federal government has ramped up COVID-19 testing facilities across the country. Till Tuesday a total of 142,445,949 tests were conducted, out of which 1,096,651 tests were conducted on Tuesday alone, said the figures released by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Wednesday.

The country's Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has decided to continue the suspension of international flights till the year-end due to COVID-19 pandemic.