39,070 new Covid cases in last 24 hours in country, more than half in Kerala

NEW DELHI: With 39,070 people testing positive for coronavirus infection, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 3,19,34,455, while the death toll climbed to 4,27,862 with 491 fresh fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. More than half of those confirmed of the virus in the country is in Kerala. A total of 20,367 people were diagnosed with the disease in the state yesterday. Of these, 86 are from outside the state. 19,221 people infected through contact. The source of contact for 977 is not clear. 139 deaths in the past few days have been confirmed to be due to Covid. This brings the total death toll in the state to 17,654. 3413 cases were reported in Malappuram yesterday, Thrissur 2500, Kozhikode 2221, Palakkad 2137, Ernakulam 2121, Kollam 1420, Kannur 1217, Alappuzha 1090, Kottayam 995, Thiruvananthapuram 944, Kasargod 662, Wayanad 660, Pathanamthitta 561 and Idukki 426 districts.

The active cases have declined to 4,06,822 and comprise 1.27 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 97.39 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

A decrease of 5,331 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,10, 99,771, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.

As many as 17,22,221 tests were conducted on Saturday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 48,00,39,185.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.27 per cent . It has been less than three per cent for the last 13 days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.38 per cent.

Cumulatively 50.68 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive till Sunday morning.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 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 491 new fatalities include 139 from Kerala and 128 from Maharashtra.

A total of 4,27,862 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,33,845 from Maharashtra, 36,773 from Karnataka, 34,289 from Tamil Nadu, 25,066 from Delhi, 22,773 from Uttar Pradesh, 18,217 from West Bengal and 17,654 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.