India confirms 2,259 new Covid-19 cases

New Delhi: India logged 2,259 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,31,31,822, while the active cases declined to 15,044, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

The death toll climbed to 5,24,323 with 20 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.03 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was 98.75 per cent, the ministry said.

A decrease of 375 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.50 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 0.53 per cent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,25,92,455, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.22 per cent.

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 191.96 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.

The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year.

The 20 new fatalities include 17 from Kerala and two from Uttar Pradesh and one from Delhi.

A total of 5,24,323 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,47,856 from Maharashtra, 69,457 from Kerala, 40,106 from Karnataka, 38,025 from Tamil Nadu, 26,199 from Delhi, 23,516 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,203 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.