NEW DELHI: India logged 38,353 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,20,36,511, while the active cases have declined to 3,86,351, the lowest in 140 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
The death toll has climbed to 4,29,179 with 497 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The active cases comprise 1.21 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate stands 97.45 per cent, the ministry said.
A decrease of 2,157 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
As many as 17,77,962 tests were conducted on Tuesday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 48,50,56,507.
The daily positivity rate was recorded 2.16 per cent.
It has been less than three per cent for the last 16 days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.34 per cent.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,12, 20,981 and the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.
Cumulatively, 51.90 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive.
India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.
It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.
India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.
The 497 new fatalities include 152 from Kerala and 137 from Maharashtra.
A total of 4,29,179 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,34,201 from Maharashtra, 36,848 from Karnataka, 34,367 from Tamil Nadu, 25,068 from Delhi, 22,775 from Uttar Pradesh, 18,252 from West Bengal and 18,004 from Kerala.
The ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.
"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
The ministry said 20,47,733 first doses were administered and 4,05,719 second doses in the age group 18-44 years on Tuesday.
Cumulatively, 18,20,95,467 people in the age group 18-44 years across states and union territories have received their first dose and 1,29,39,239 their second dose since the start of phase-3 of the vaccination drive.
Five states -- Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh -- have administered more than 1 crore cumulative doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the age group 18-44 years, the ministry said.
Also, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Kerala, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Uttarakhand and West Bengal have vaccinated more than 10 lakh beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years for the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
As on day-207 of the vaccination drive (August 10), total 37,76,765 vaccine doses were given.
Of these, 27,60,199 beneficiaries were vaccinated for first dose and 10,16,566 people received the second dose of vaccine according to the provisional report till 7 PM.
Final reports would be completed for the day by late night.
The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the statement said.
More than 2.07 crore balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states, UTs and private hospitals to be administered, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
Over 52.56 crore vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far through all sources and a further 48,43,100 doses are in the pipeline.
Of this, the total consumption including wastage is 51,09,58,562 doses, the ministry said.
Under the new phase of the universalization of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Centre procures and supplies 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by vaccine manufacturers in the country to states and UTs.