NEW DELHI: With 44,658 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases has increased to 3,26,03,188, while the active cases rose to 3,44,899, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.
The death toll climbed to 4,36,861 with 496 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.
The active cases comprise 1.03 per cent of the total infections while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.63 per cent, the ministry said.
An increase of 11,174 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
As many as 18,24,931 tests were conducted on Thursday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 51,49,54,309.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.45 per cent.
It has been less than three per cent for the last 32 days.
The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.10 per cent.
It has been below three per cent for the last 63 days, according to the ministry.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,18,21,428 and the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.
Cumulatively, 61.22 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive till Friday morning.
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 496 new fatalities include 162 from Kerala and 159 from Maharashtra.
A total of 4,36,861 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,36,730 from Maharashtra, 37,231 from Karnataka, 34,814 from Tamil Nadu, 25,080 from Delhi, 22,794 from Uttar Pradesh, 20,134 from Kerala and 18,402 from West Bengal.
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.
Nearly 68 lakh (67,87,305) vaccine doses were administered on Thursday, according to the 7 pm provisional report.
Final reports would be completed for the day by late night, the ministry said.
"India achieves unprecedented milestone! 50 per cent of the eligible population inoculated with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Keep it up India. Let us fight Corona," Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted.
Cumulatively, 23,18,95,731 individuals in the age group of 18-44 years have received their first dose and 2,33,74,357 their second dose since the start of phase-3 of the vaccination drive, according to health ministry data.
As on Day-223 of the vaccination drive (August 26), 46,88,114 were vaccinated for the first dose and 20,99,191 received the second dose, according to the provisional report till 7 PM, the data stated.
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 ministry said.
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated in the first phase.
The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started from February 2.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.
The country launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1.
The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from May 1.