India logs 26,727 new COVID-19 cases, 277 deaths in past 24 hrs; active infections lowest in 196 days

India logged 26,727 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,37,66,707, while the active cases declined to 2,75,224, the lowest in 196 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. The toll climbed to 4,48,339 with 277 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am. Out of 26,727 new COVID19 cases and 277 deaths across India, 15,914 cases and 122 deaths were reported from Kerala alone. The number of cases is declining in Kerala but the state still contributes a substantial number of total cases in the country. The active cases comprise 0.82 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.86 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the ministry said. A decrease of 1,796 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. As many as 15,20,899 tests were conducted on Thursday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 57,04,77,338. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.76 per cent. It has been less than three per cent for last 32 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 1.70 per cent. It has been below three per cent for the last 98 days, according to the ministry. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,30,43,144, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.33 per cent. The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 89 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. The 277 new fatalities include 122 from Kerala and 56 from Maharashtra. A total of 4,48,339 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,39,067 from Maharashtra, 37,794 from Karnataka, 35,578 from Tamil Nadu, 25,087 each from Delhi and Kerala, 22,892 from Uttar Pradesh, and 18,793 from West Bengal. The 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.