India records 35,662 coronavirus cases, 281 deaths in last 24 hours

With 35,662 more people testing positive for COVID-19, India's overall infection tally has increased to 3,34,17,390, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.

The death toll due to the disease has climbed to 4,44,529, with 281 more fatalities being recorded, it said.

The number of active cases has risen to 3,40,639, comprising 1.02 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 97.65 per cent, according to the data updated by the ministry at 8 am.

It said that active cases in the country increased by 1,583 cases in a span of 24 hours.

Also, 14,48,833 tests were conducted on Friday, taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far to 55,07,80,273, it said.

The daily positivity rate has been recorded at 2.46 per cent. It has been less than three per cent for the last 19 days, according to the data.

The weekly positivity rate has been recorded at 2.02 per cent. It has been below three per cent for the last 85 days, the ministry said.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease is 3,26,32,222, while the case fatality rate has been recorded at 1.33 per cent, it said.

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the vaccination drive has exceeded 79.42 crore, according to the ministry.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year, 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 last year.

India recorded two crore cases on May 4 and three crore cases on June 23.

The 281 new fatalities include 131 deaths from Kerala and 67 from Maharashtra, the ministry said.

It said that 4,44,529 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,38,389 from Maharashtra, 37,573 from Karnataka, 35,288 from Tamil Nadu, 25,085 from Delhi, 23,296 from Kerala, 22,887 from Uttar Pradesh, and 18,629 from West Bengal.

The Health Ministry said 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.