3,47,254 new Coronavirus infections reported in the country

New Delhi: 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 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 updated at 8 am 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.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 17.94 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 16.56 per cent, according to the health ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,60,58,806, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.27 per cent.

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under



the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 160.43 crore.

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 703 new fatalities include 341 from Kerala and 43 from Delhi.

A total of 4,88,3961 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,41,971 from Maharashtra, 51,501 from Kerala, 38,515 from Karnataka, 37,112 from Tamil Nadu, 25,503 from Delhi, 23,000 from Uttar Pradesh and 20,230 from West Bengal.

The ministry stressed that 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.