NEW DELHI: A single day rise of 62,224 new coronavirus infections were reported taking India's total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,96,33,105, while the active cases were recorded below nine lakh after 70 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,79,573 with 2,542 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The active cases further declined to 8,65,432 comprising 2.92 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 95.80 per cent.
A net decline of 47,946 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
Also, 19,30,987 tests were conducted on Monday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 38,33,06,971.
The daily positivity rate dropped to 3.22 per cent .
It has been less than five per cent for nine consecutive days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate has declined to 4.17 per cent.
Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for the 34th consecutive day.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,83,88,100, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.28 per cent, the data stated.
Cumulatively, 26,19,72,014 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive.
India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 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 2 crore on May 4.
The 2,542 new fatalities include 1,458 from Maharashtra, 267 from Tamil Nadu, 166 from Kerala and 115 from Karnataka.
A total of 3,79,573 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,14,154 from Maharashtra, 33,148 from Karnataka, 30,068 from Tamil Nadu, 24,851 from Delhi, 21,914 from Uttar Pradesh, 17,049 from West Bengal, 15,650 from Punjab and 13,342 from Chhattisgarh.
The health 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 total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed the 26 crore-mark, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
The ministry said 13,13,438 vaccine doses were administered as first dose and 54,375 vaccine doses were given as second dose in the 18-44 age group on Tuesday.
Cumulatively, 4,49,87,004 persons in the same age-group across states and UTs have received their first dose and 8,95,517 have received their second dose since the start of phase-3 of the vaccination drive.
Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have administered more than 10 lakh beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group for the first dose of Covid vaccine, the ministry said.
The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has reached 26,17,40,273, according to a provisional report compiled at 7 pm.
The number includes 1,00,78,623 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose and 6999669 HCWs who have taken the second dose, 1,69,05,708 frontline workers (FLWs) who have received the first dose, 89,06,072 FLWs who have taken the second dose and 4,49,87,004 and 8,95,517 individuals in the 18-44 years of age group have received the first and second dose respectively.
Besides, 7,72,40,865 and 12193878 beneficiaries in the 45 to 60 age group have been administered the first and second dose respectively, while 6,32,64,880 and 20268,057 beneficiaries above 60 years have taken the first and second dose respectively.
As on the 151st day of the vaccination drive (15th June, 2021), a total of 25,68,858 vaccine doses were given.
The ministry said 21,98,144 beneficiaries were vaccinated for the first dose and 3,70,714 beneficiaries received the second dose of vaccine.
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 ministry said .