NEW DELHI: New COVID-19 cases in India were recorded below 30,000 after 44 days, taking the virus tally to 4,26,92,943, while the active cases dipped to 4,23,127, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.
The death toll climbed to 5,09,358 with 347 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The daily COVID-19 cases have been recorded less than one lakh for nine consecuitive days.
The active cases comprise 0.99 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has further improved to 97.82 per cent, the ministry said.
A reduction of 55,755 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
The daily positivity rate was recorded as 2.23 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was 3.63 per cent, according to the ministry.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,17,60,458 while the case fatality rate was recorded as 1.19 per cent.
The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 173.42 crore.
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 last year.
The 347 new fatalities include 178 from Kerala and 25 from Karnataka.
A total of 5,09,358 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,43,416 from Maharashtra, 62,377 from Kerala, 39,665 from Karnataka, 37,932 from Tamil Nadu, 26,076 from Delhi, 23,399 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,040 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.
Over 1.5 crore adolescents in the 15-18 years age group nationwide are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Monday.
"Young India is fighting the pandemic with full vigour. Over 1.5 crore youngsters between the 15-18 age group are fully vaccinated now," the minister tweeted.
Over 70 per cent of beneficiaries in the same age group have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine so far, according to Union Health Ministry data.
According to the Registrar General of India (RGI), the estimated population of beneficiaries in the age group of 15-18 years is 7.4 crores for 2021-22.
Vaccination of children in the age group of 15-18 years began from January 3, 2022 across the country.