Covid-19 Cases Spike With 9,419 Fresh Infections In 24 Hours

With 9,419 more people testing positive for Covid in a day, India's infection tally rose to 3,46,66,241, while the active cases increased to 94,742, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated on Thursday.

The death toll climbed to 4,74,111 after 159 fresh fatalities were reported, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The daily rise in new coronavirus infections has been recorded below 10,000 for 13 straight days and less than 50,000 for 165 consecutive days now.

The active cases have increased to 94,742 comprising 0.27 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.36 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the Health Ministry said.

An increase of 1,009 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.73 per cent. It has been less than two per cent for the last 66 days.

The weekly positivity rate was also recorded at 0.74 per cent. It has been below one per cent for the last 25 days, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,40,97,388, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.37 per cent.

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 130.39 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 had crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.

The 125 new fatalities include 112 from Kerala, 11 from Tamil Nadu and 10 from Maharashtra.

Of the 112 deaths, 35 were logged over the last few days and 77 were designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court, a statement from the Kerala government said on Wednesday.

A total of 4,74,111 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,41,204 from Maharashtra, 42,014 from Kerala, 38,249 from Karnataka, 36,560 from Tamil Nadu, 25,100 from Delhi, 22,911 from Uttar Pradesh and 19,568 from West Bengal.

The Health 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.