India logs 6,561 Covid infections, 142 deaths in a day; active cases decline to 77,152

New Delhi, March 3 (PTI): India’s Covid-19 case tally rose to 4,29,45,160 with 6,561 people testing positive for the infection in a day while active cases declined to 77,152, according to Union Health Ministry data on Thursday.

The death toll has climbed to 5,14,388 with 142 more people succumbing to the disease, the data updated at 8 am stated.

It was for 25 consecutive days that India recorded less than one lakh daily Covid-19 cases.

Active cases comprise 0.18 per cent of the total infections while the national Covid recovery rate improved to 98.62 per cent, the Health Ministry said.

A reduction of 8,528 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a day.

The daily positivity rate was 0.74 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 0.99 per cent.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,23,53,620, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.20 per cent.

The cumulative Covid vaccine doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 178.02 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 last year and three crore on June 23.

Among the 142 fatalities reported in a day, 96 were from Kerala and 12 from Karnataka.

In total, 5,14,388 deaths have been reported so far in the country with 1,43,706 from Maharashtra, 65,597 from Kerala, 39,969 from Karnataka, 38,009 from Tamil Nadu, 26,127 from Delhi, 23,468 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,178 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 state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.