India logged 3,06,064 new COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of over 20 per cent, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

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India on Monday reported a decline in the daily COVID-19 infections as the country logged 3,06,064 new COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of over 20 per cent, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. As per government data, new infections were 27,469 less than that reported on Sunday. However, thedaily positivity rate rose to 20.75 per cent from 17.78 per cent yesterday.Notably, 14,74,753 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours while 18,75,533tests were conducted on Sunday. The ministry has said that India's active caseload currently stands at 22,49,335. It accounts for 5.69 per cent of the total cases.

An increase of 62,130 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 20.75 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 17.03 per cent, according to the ministry. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,68,04,145, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.24 per cent. The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 162.26 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 439 new fatalities include 77 from Kerala and 44 from Maharashtra.

A total of 4,89,848 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,42,115 from Maharashtra, 51,816 from Kerala,38,582 from Karnataka, 37,218 from Tamil Nadu, 25,620 from Delhi, 23,056 from Uttar Pradesh and 20,338 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.

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