Active Covid cases in country rise to 3,609

India recorded 243 new coronavirus infections, raising the tally to 4.46 crore, while the active cases have increased to 3,609, according to Union health ministry data updated on Friday.

The total tally of Covid cases was recorded at 4,46,78, 158 and the death toll stands at 5,30,699 with one fatality reported from Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.11 per cent while the weekly positivity was pegged at 0.16 per cent, the ministry said.

It said 2,13,080 tests for detection of Covid have been conducted in the last 24 hours.

The active cases comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national recovery rate has increased to 98.80 per cent, according to the health ministry's website.

It said an increase of 57 cases has been recorded in the active Covid caseload in a span of 24 hours. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has increased to 4,41,43,850, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.19 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.09 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. 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, 2020. India crossed the two-crore mark on May 4, three crore cases on June 23, 2021, and four crore cases on January 25 this year.