NEW DELHI: India logged 37,875 new cases of coronavirus infection taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,30,96,718, while the active cases declined to 3,91,256, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
The death toll climbed to 4,41,411 with 369 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.
The active cases comprise 1.18 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.48 per cent, the ministry said.
A decrease of 1,608 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
As many as 17,53,745 tests were conducted on Tuesday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 53,49,43,093.
The daily positivity rate was recorded as 2.16 per cent.
It has been less than three per cent for last nine days The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.49 per cent.
It has been below three per cent for the last 75 days, according to the health ministry.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,22,64,051, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.33 per cent.
The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive has exceeded 70.75 crore according to the ministry.
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 369 new fatalities include 189 from Kerala, and 86 from Maharashtra.
A total of 4,41,411 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,37,897 from Maharashtra, 37,441 from Karnataka, 35,055 from Tamil Nadu, 25,083 from Delhi, 22,863 from Uttar Pradesh, 21,820 from Kerala and 18,522 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.
Meanwhile, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 70 crore, with the last 10 crore doses being given in just 13 days, the fastest so far, the Union health ministry said on Tuesday.
The coronavirus has to be defeated and vaccination is the way to victory, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.
"Soaring higher on COVID-19 vaccination under PM (Prime Minister) @NarendraModi ji's leadership. 70,00,00,000 vaccine doses administered to date," he tweeted.
Congratulations to all health workers and people for this momentous achievement, he said.
India took 85 days to touch 10 crore vaccinations, 45 days to cross the 20-crore mark and 29 more days to reach 30 crore, Mandaviya said.
The country took 24 days to reach 40 crore from 30 crore doses and then 20 more days to cross 50 crore vaccinations on August 6.
It took 19 more days to go past the 60-crore mark and took only 13 days to reach 70 crore from 60 crore, the fastest so far, he said on Twitter.
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.