Active COVID-19 cases in country settle below three lakh

With 25,920 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India’s tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 4,27,80,235, while the active cases dipped below three lakh after 43 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

The death toll climbed to 5,10,905 with 492 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The daily COVID-19 cases have remained less than one lakh for 12 consecutive days.

The active cases further declined to 2,92,092 comprising 0.68 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has further improved to 98.12 per cent, the ministry said.

A reduction of 40,826 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded as 2.07 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded as 2.76 per cent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,19,77,238, 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 174.64 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 492 new fatalities include 319 from Kerala and 40 from Maharashtra.

A total of 5,10,905 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,43,532 from Maharashtra, 63,338 from Kerala, 39,738 from Karnataka, 37,962 from Tamil Nadu, 26,091 from Delhi, 23,419 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,094 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.