India posts 44,643 new infections, 464 deaths; active cases increase for third consecutive day

New Delhi: India recorded 44,643 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,18,56,757, while the active cases registered an increase for the third consecutive day, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. The death toll climbed to 4,26,754 with 464 fresh fatalities.The active cases comprise 1.30 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.36 percent, the data updated at 8 am showed.An increase of 3,083 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.As many as 16,40,287 tests were conducted on Thursday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 47,65,33,650.The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.72 percent. It has been less than three percent for the last 11 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.41 percent, according to the ministry.The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,10,15,844 and the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 percent, the data stated.Cumulative vaccine doses administered so far have reached 49.53 crore under the nationwide vaccination drive.India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on 7 August, 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, 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.The 464 new fatalities include 120 from Maharashtra and 117 from Kerala.A total of 4,26,754 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,33,530 from Maharashtra, 36,705 from Karnataka, 34,230 from Tamil Nadu, 25,060 from Delhi, 22,770 from Uttar Pradesh, 18,193 from West Bengal and 17,328 from Kerala.The ministry stressed that more than 70 percent 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.