India reports 2,858 new Covid-19 cases

New Delhi: India's COVID-19 caseload increased to 4,31,19,112 on Saturday with 2,858 fresh infections, while the number of active cases came down to 18,096, according to Union health ministry data.

The death toll climbed to 5,24,201 with 11 more fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.04 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.74 per cent, the ministry said.

A decrease of 508 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.59 per cent and the weekly positivity rate stood at 0.66 per cent, the ministry said.

The number of people who have recuperated from the viral disease surged to 4,25,76,815. The case fatality rate was recorded at 1.22 per cent, it said.

The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide inoculation drive has exceeded 191.15 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 1-crore mark on December 19.

India crossed the grim milestone of 2 crore on May 4, 2021, and 3 crore on June 23.

The 11 fresh fatalities include five from Kerala, four from Delhi and two from Maharashtra.

Of the total 5,24,201 deaths reported so far in the country, 1,47,853 were from Maharashtra, 69,355 from Kerala, 40,105 from Karnataka, 38,025 from Tamil Nadu, 26,188 from Delhi, 23,513 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,203 from West Bengal.

The health 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 the state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.