With 35,499 more people testing positive for COVID-19, India witnessed a significant drop in coronavirus cases as the tally now stands at 3,19,69,954, while the death toll climbed to 4,28,309 with 447 fresh fatalities, according to the Union health ministry on Monday.
India on Saturday reported 39,070 new COVID-19 cases while 38,628 infections were registered on Friday.
The number of active cases has declined to 4,02,188 which comprise 1.27 per cent of the total infections, and the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 97.39 per cent, data updated by the ministry at 8 am showed.
A decrease of 4,634 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, it showed.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,11,39,457, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.
As many as 13,71,871 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the country on Sunday, taking the total number of such examinations so far to 48,17,67,232.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.59 per cent. It has been less than three per cent for the last 14 days, the ministry said, adding that the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.35 per cent.
Cumulatively, 50.86 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive till Monday morning.
India's COVID-19 infection tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year, 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 one crore on December 19.
The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore cases on May 4 and three crore on June 23.
The 447 new fatalities include 151 from Maharashtra and 93 from Kerala.
A total of 4,28,309 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,33,996 from Maharashtra, 36,793 from Karnataka, 34,317 from Tamil Nadu, 25,066 from Delhi, 22,773 from Uttar Pradesh, 18,229 from West Bengal and 17,747 from Kerala.
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 state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
