India logged 43,071 new coronavirus cases and 955 fatalities during the last 24 hours. With the latest addition, the country’s cumulative Covid caseload surged to 3,05,45,433 and the death toll rose to 4,02,005.
While the national Covid recovery rate surged to 97.09 per cent, the active caseload declined to 4.85 lakh on Saturday. They comprise 1.59 per cent of the total infections.
According to the Union health ministry data updated at 8 am today, more than 52,000 patients recovered from the disease in last 24 hours taking total recoveries to over 2.96 crore. Meanwhile, the country’s Covid fatality rate rose to 1.32 per cent from 1.31 per cent.
The health ministry data further stated that 18,38,490 tests were conducted on Saturday, taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of Covid-19 in the country to 41,82,54,953.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.34 per cent. It has been less than five per cent for 27 consecutive days, the ministry said, adding that the weekly positivity rate has declined to 2.44 per cent.
Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for 52 consecutive days, and the number of people who have recuperated from the disease has increased to 2,96,58,078, it said.
Cumulative vaccine doses administered so far has reached 35.12 crore under nationwide Covid vaccination drive.
India's Covid-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 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 two crore cases on May 4 and three crore on June 23.
The 955 new fatalities include 371 from Maharashtra, 135 from Kerala and 115 from Tamil Nadu, the ministry said.
It said that 4,02,005 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,22,724 from Maharashtra, 35,308 from Karnataka, 32,933 from Tamil Nadu, 24,988 from Delhi, 22,622 from Uttar Pradesh, 17,779 from West Bengal and 16,103 from Punjab.
The health ministry said 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.
(With PTI inputs)
