India added 3,47,254 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of Covid-19 cases to 3,85,66,027 which includes 9,692 cases of the Omicron variant, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.
The nation's Covid-19 toll also saw a sharp jump as 703 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.
The active cases have increased to 20,18,825, the highest in 235 days, while the death toll has climbed to 4,88,396 with 703 fresh fatalities, the data stated.
There has been a 4.36 per cent increase in Omicron cases since Thursday, the ministry said.
The active cases comprise 5.23 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has decreased to 93.50 per cent, the ministry said.
An increase of 94,774 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry on Thursday asked 6.5 crore Indians who missed their second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to come forward for the shot with top health officials claiming a significant drop in Covid mortality in the third wave as against the second surge due to protection offered by the vaccine.
The number of people who missed their second doses was 12 crore at one point of time but the number came down to 6.5 crore partially vaccinated individuals who didn't turn up despite repeated reminders, said Vinod Paul, NITI Ayog member and the government's principal adviser on Covid-19.
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.
(With inputs from PTI)
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