India reports 46,759 new Covid-19 cases, 509 deaths

With 46,759 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's total tally of Covid-19 cases has increased to 3,26,49,947, while the active cases rose to 3,59,775, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.

Of the new Covid-19 cases reported in India in the last 24 hours, Kerala accounted for 32,801 Covid-19 positive cases.

The death toll climbed to 4,37,370 with 509 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.

The active cases comprise 1.10 per cent of the total infections while the national Covid-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.56 per cent, the ministry said.

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An increase of 14,876 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.66 per cent. It has been less than three per cent for the last 33 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.19 per cent. It has been below three per cent for the last 64 days, according to the ministry.

The count of daily new cases has stayed below 50,000 for 62 consecutive days now, the ministry said.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,18,52,802, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.

Cumulatively, 62,29,89,134 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive till Wednesday morning.

India administered a record 1,03,35,290 Covid-19 vaccine doses on Friday. With this, the coronavirus vaccination coverage in the country surpassed 62.29 crore, as per provisional reports till 7 am on Saturday, the ministry said.

This has been achieved through 67,19,042 sessions, it added.

Also, 17,61,110 coronavirus tests were conducted in the country on Friday, taking the cumulative number of such examinations done so far to 51,68,87,602.

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.

A total of 4,37,370 deaths due to the disease have been reported so far in the country, including 1,36,900 from Maharashtra, 37,248 from Karnataka, 34,835 from Tamil Nadu, 25,080 from Delhi, 22,796 from Uttar Pradesh, 20,313 from Kerala and 18,410 from West Bengal.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent 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.

(With inputs from PTI)