India reports 2,628 new COVID cases, 18 deaths

New Delhi: India saw a single-day rise of 2,628 new coronavirus infections, taking the infection tally to 4,31,44,820, while the active cases have increased to 15,414, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Thursday.

The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 5,24,525 with 18 more fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprised 0.04 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.75 per cent, the health ministry said.

An increase of 443 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.58 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was 0.51 per cent, according to the health ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,26,04,881, 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 192.82 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 18 fatalities include 13 from Kerala, four from Delhi and one from Rajasthan, the ministry said.

A total of 5,24,525 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,47,857 from Maharashtra, 69,643 from Kerala, 40,106 from Karnataka,  38,025 from Tamil  Nadu, 26,207 from Delhi, 23,519 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.