The Union Health Ministry said on Thursday that the country's doubling time of COVID-19 cases has sharply increased to 70.4 days from 25.5 days in mid-August, which is nearly thrice the time being taken earlier.

"This indicates a substantial fall in the daily new cases and the consequent increase in time taken to double the total cases," the ministry tweeted as India recorded a spike of 67,708 coronavirus cases and 680 deaths in 24 hours, as the tally mounted to 73,07,097.