India records 46,759 COVID-19 cases, 509 deaths

New Delhi: With 46,759 people testing positive for COVID-19 in a span of 24 hours, India's infection tally rose to 3,26,49,947 on Saturday, while the count of active cases registered an increase for the fourth consecutive day, according to Union Health Ministry data.

The death toll has climbed to 4,37,370 with 509 more fatalities being recorded, according to the data updated at 8 am. The number of active cases has now increased to 3,59,775 which comprises 1.10 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.56 per cent, the ministry said. An increase of 14,876 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The count of daily new cases has stayed below 50,000 for 62 consecutive days now, the ministry said. Also, 17,61,110 coronavirus tests were conducted in the country on Friday, taking the cumulative number of such examinations done so far to 51,68,87,602.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.66 per cent. It has been below three per cent for the last 33 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.19 per cent. This has been below three per cent for 64 days now, according to the Health Ministry. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,18,52,802, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated. India administered a record 1,03,35,290 COVID-19 vaccine doses on Friday. With this, the coronavirus vaccination coverage in the country surpassed 62.29 crore, as per provisional reports till 7 am on Saturday, the ministry said.

This has been achieved through 67,19,042 sessions, it added. India's COVID-19 infection tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5, 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and one crore on December 19. The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore infections on May 4 this year and three crore on June 23.

The 509 new fatalities include 179 from Kerala and 170 from Maharashtra. A total of 4,37,370 deaths due to the disease have been reported so far in the country, including 1,36,900 from Maharashtra, 37,248 from Karnataka, 34,835 from Tamil Nadu, 25,080 from Delhi, 22,796 from Uttar Pradesh, 20,313 from Kerala and 18,410 from West Bengal. The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to co-morbidities. "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.