3,451 new COVID cases in India; active infections in country rise to 20,635

By PTI

NEW DELHI: India logged 3,451 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,31,02,194, while the active cases rose to 20,635, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

The death toll climbed to 5,24,064 with 40 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.05 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.74 per cent, the ministry said.

An increase of 332 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.96 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 0.83 per cent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,25,57,495, while the case fatality rate was 1.22 per cent.

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 190.20 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.

The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year.

The 40 new fatalities include 35 from Kerala, two from Delhi and one each from Gujarat, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

A total of 5,24,064 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,47,846 from Maharashtra, 69,245 from Kerala, 40,103 from Karnataka, 38,025 from Tamil Nadu, 26,179 from Delhi, 23,509 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,203 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.