NEW DELHI: India logged 41,195 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,20,77,706, while the active cases increased to 3,87,987, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The death toll climbed to 4,29,669 with 490 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The active cases increased after registering a decrease for five consecutive days.
They now comprise 1.21 per cent of the total infections, the ministry said, adding the national COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.45 per cent.
An increase of 1,636 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
As many as 21,24,953 tests were conducted on Wednesday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 48,73,70,196.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.94 per cent.
It has been less than three per cent for the last 17 days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.23 per cent.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,12, 60,050, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.
Cumulatively, 52.36 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 490 new fatalities include 163 from Maharashtra and 116 from Kerala.
A total of 4,29,669 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,34,364 from Maharashtra, 36,881 from Karnataka, 34,395 from Tamil Nadu, 25,068 from Delhi, 22,776 from Uttar Pradesh, 18,258 from West Bengal and 18,120 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.
Meanwhile, the cumulative coronavirus vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed the 52 crore-mark, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday.
More than 40 lakh (40,02,634) doses were administered on Wednesday, according to the 7 pm provisional report.
The ministry said 20,58,952 vaccine doses were administered as first dose and 4,30,665 vaccine doses were given as second dose in the age group 18-44 years on Wednesday.
"Cumulatively, 18,45,43,154 people, in the age group 18-44 years, across states and UTs have received their first dose and 1,34,04,637 received their second dose since the start of phase 3 of the nationwide vaccination drive," it said.
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.
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 vaccine, the ministry stated.
"On 208th day of the vaccination drive on Wednesday, a total of 40,02,634 vaccine doses were given. A total of 29,07,836 beneficiaries were vaccinated for first dose and 10,94,798 beneficiaries received second dose of the vaccine," it said, adding that final reports would be completed for the day by Wednesday night.