India records 30,570 COVID-19 cases, 431 deaths in last 24 hrs; active infection at 3.4 lakhs

New Delhi: With 30,570 more people testing positive for COVID-19, India’s overall infection tally has risen to 3,33,47,325, while the count of active cases has dipped to 3,42,923, according to the Union Health Ministry on Thursday. The toll due to the disease has climbed to 4,43,928 with 431 daily fatalities being recorded, according to data updated by the ministry at 8 am. The number of active cases has dropped to 3,42,923, which comprises 1.03 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.64 percent, the ministry said. A reduction of 8,164 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, the data showed. Also, 15,79,761 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the country on Wednesday, taking the total number of such examinations so far to 54,77,01,729, it stated. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.94 percent. This has been below three percent for 17 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 1.93 percent. This figure has been below three percent for 83 days now, according to the Health Ministry. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 3,25,60,474, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.33 percent. The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive has exceeded 76.57 crore, according to the ministry. India’s COVID-19 infection tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 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 the one-crore mark on December 19. The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore cases on May 4 and three crore on 23 June. The 431 new fatalities include 208 from Kerala, 70 from Goa and 56 from Maharashtra. “In the last 24 hours, two deaths have occurred in Goa. But 68 additional deaths from August 2020 to June 2021 are added to cumulative deaths and have been reported late from South Goa District Hospital (Margao),” the ministry said. A total of 4,43,928 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,38,277 from Maharashtra, 37,537 from Karnataka, 35,246 from Tamil Nadu, 25,083 from Delhi, 22,987 from Kerala, 22,885 from Uttar Pradesh, and 18,613 from West Bengal, the data showed. The Health Ministry stressed that more than 70 percent 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.