India reports 41,195 new COVID-19 infections, 490 deaths in past 24 hrs, active cases increase to 3.8 lakh

New Delhi: India logged 41,195 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,20,77,706, while the active cases increased to 3,87,987, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The toll climbed to 4,29,669 with 490 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The active cases increased after registering a decrease for five consecutive days. They now comprise 1.21 percent of the total infections, the ministry said, adding the national COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.45 percent.

An increase of 1,636 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

As many as 21,24,953 tests were conducted on Wednesday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 48,73,70,196. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.94 percent. It has been less than three percent for the last 17 days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.23 percent.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,12, 60,050, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 percent, the data stated. Cumulatively, 52.36 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive.

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 490 new fatalities include 163 from Maharashtra and 116 from Kerala.

A total of 4,29,669 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,34,364 from Maharashtra, 36,881 from Karnataka, 34,395 from Tamil Nadu, 25,068 from Delhi, 22,776 from Uttar Pradesh, 18,258 from West Bengal and 18,120 from Kerala.

The ministry stressed that more than 70 percent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.