India has reported 14,623 new COVID-19 cases and 197 deaths in the last 24 hours as per Union Health Ministry data. Of these Kerala reported 7,643 new cases and 77 deaths. The death toll climbed to 4,52,651 with 197 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.

There have been 19,446 recoveries in the last 24 hours taking the total recoveries to 3,34,78,247. A decrease of 5,020 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily rise in new coronavirus infections has been below 30,000 for 26 straight days and less than 50,000 daily new cases have been reported for 115 consecutive days now.

The total number of active cases in India stands at 1,78,098 - lowest in 229 days, said the Union Health Ministry officials. Active cases account for 0.52% of total cases - lowest since March 2020.

The recovery rate currently at 98.15% - highest since March 2020. The weekly Positivity Rate (1.34%) less than 3% for last 117 days and the daily positivity rate (1.10%) less than 3% for last 51 days.

99.12 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive and 59.44 crore tests conducted so far.

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.