India records 40,120 fresh coronavirus infections, 585 new deaths

New Delhi: India saw a single-day rise of 40,120 coronavirus infections, taking the tally of cases to 3,21,17,826, while the recovery rate rose to 97.46 per cent, the highest recorded so far, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated Friday. The death toll, meanwhile, climbed to 4,30,254 with 585 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The ministry said the number of active cases has declined to 3,85,227 or 1.20 per cent of the total cases, the lowest percentage since March 2020. A decline of 2,760 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, the data showed. The recovery rate has risen to 97.46 per cent, the country's highest since the start of the pandemic, the ministry said. Also, 19,70,495 tests were conducted Thursday, taking the cumulative tests carried out so far for the detection of COVID-19 in the country to 48,94,70,779.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.04 per cent. It has been below 3 per cent for the last 19 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.13 per cent, according to the health ministry. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,13,02,345, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated. Cumulatively, 52.95 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered till Tuesday morning. 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. The 585 new fatalities include 208 from Maharashtra and 160 from Kerala.

A total of 4,30,254 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,34, 572 from Maharashtra, 36,911 from Karnataka, 34,428 from Tamil Nadu, 25,068 from Delhi, 22,780 from Uttar Pradesh, 18,280 from Kerala and 18,268 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.