India records 42,618 COVID cases, 330 deaths; active cases up for fourth consecutive day

New Delhi: India’s COVID-19 infection tally rose by 42,618 in a day to reach 3,29,45,907 while the number of active cases touched 4,05,681 following an increase for the fourth consecutive day, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Saturday. The death toll climbed to 4,40,225 with 330 more people succumbing to the viral disease, showed the data updated at 8 am. In a span of 24 hours, the active caseload rose by 5,903. The number of active cases now comprise 1.23 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.43 percent, the ministry said. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.50 percent and the weekly positivity rate was 2.63 percent. It has been below three percent for the last 71 days. As many as 17,04,970 tests were conducted on Friday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 52,82,40,038. Under the nationwide vaccination drive, a total of 67.72 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far. Of the 330 fatalities recorded in a day 131 are from Kerala and 92 from Maharashtra. Of the total deaths in the country, 1,37,643 are from Maharashtra, 37,380 from Karnataka, 34,980 from Tamil Nadu, 25,082 from Delhi, 22,854 from Uttar Pradesh, 21,280 from Kerala and 18,483 from West Bengal. The Union health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent 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. India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on 7 August , 2020, 30 lakh on 23 August, 40 lakh on 5 September and 50 lakh on 16 September. It went past 60 lakh on 28 September, 70 lakh on 11 October 11, crossed 80 lakh on 29 October, 90 lakh on 20 November and surpassed the one-crore mark on 19 December. India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on 4 May and three crore on 23 June.