India reports 8,603 new Covid infections, active cases decline to 99,974

With 8,603 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 3,46,24,360, but active cases declined to 99,974, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.

The death toll, however, climbed to 4,70,530 with 415 fatalities reported on Saturday, the data released at 8 am showed.

The daily rise in coronavirus infections has been less than 50,000 for 160 consecutive days now.

The active cases have declined to 99,974, comprising 0.29 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.35 per cent, the health ministry said.

A net decrease of two cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.69 per cent. It has been less than 2 per cent for past 61 days now.

The weekly positivity rate was also recorded at 0.81 per cent. It has been below 1 per cent for the past 20 days, the ministry data showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease rose to 3,40,53,856 while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.36 per cent.

The cumulative number of Covid vaccine doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide drive has exceeded 126.53 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 crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.