COVID-19: India records 39,097 new cases in last 24 hrs, takes total to 3.1 crore; recovery rate at 97,3%

New Delhi: India’s tally of COVID-19 infections rose by 39,097 in a day to reach 3,13,32,159, while 546 more people succumbed to the viral disease during the same period taking the death toll to 4,20,016 on Saturday, according to Union Health Ministry data. The number of active cases in the country has increased to 4,08,977, accounting for 1.34 percent of the total caseload while the national COVID-19 recovery rate stood at 97.35 percent, the data updated at 8 am showed. An increase of 3,464 cases was recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a day. Also, 16,31,266 tests to detect COVID-19 were carried out on Friday, taking the total number of such tests conducted so far in the country to 45,45,70,811, while the daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.40 percent. It has remained below 3 percent for 33 days in a row. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.22 percent. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 3,05,03,166, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 percent, the data stated. The total number of Covid vaccine doses administered so far in the country has reached 42.78 crore. India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year, 30-lakh mark on August 23, 40-lakh mark on September 5, and 50-lakh mark on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28 last year, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20, and the one-crore mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of two crore Covid cases on May 4 this year and the three-crore mark on June 23. The 546 new fatalities include 167 from Maharashtra and 132 from Kerala. A total of 4,20,016 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,31,205 in Maharashtra, 36,323 in Karnataka, 33,862 in Tamil Nadu, 25,041 in Delhi, 22,748 in Uttar Pradesh and 18,056 in West Bengal. The health ministry stressed that more than 70 percent 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.