India reports 1,685 new COVID-19 cases, 83 fatalities

With 1,685 new COVID-19 cases being reported in a day, India's total tally of infections has climbed to 4,30,16,372, while the count of active cases has declined to 21,530, according to the Union Health Ministry on Friday.

The death toll due to the disease stands at 5,16,755 with 83 daily fatalities being reported, data updated by the ministry at 8 am showed.

The tally of active cases now comprises 0.05 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.75 per cent, the ministry said.

A reduction of 897 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, the data showed.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.24 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 0.33 per cent, according to the ministry.

A total of 6,91,425 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the country in a span of 24 hours. India has so far conducted over 78.56 crore tests for the disease.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease in the country has surged to 4,24,78,087, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.20 per cent, the data showed.

The cumulative number of doses administered in India so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 182.55 crore.

India's COVID-19 infection tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5, 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and the one-crore mark on December 19, 2020.

The country crossed the grim milestones of two crore cases on May 4, 2021 and three crore on June 23.

The 83 new fatalities include 74 from Kerala.

A total of 5,16,755 COVID-19 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,43,772 from Maharashtra, 67,550 from Kerala, 40,044 from Karnataka, 38,025 from Tamil Nadu, 26,149 from Delhi, 23,492 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,197 from West Bengal.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to co-morbidities.

"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.