India records 21,566 fresh Covid-19 cases, 45 more deaths in 24 hours

India saw a single-day rise of 21,566 coronavirus cases, the highest in 152 days, taking its COVID-19 tally to 4,38,25,185, while the number of active cases in the country climbed to 1,48,881 on Thursday, the Union health ministry said.

The death toll due to the viral disease has gone up to 5,25,870 with 45 more fatalities, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am.

The active cases account for 0.34 per cent of the total caseload, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.46 per cent, the ministry said.

An increase of 3,227 cases was recorded in the active Covid caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 4.25 per cent, while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 4.51 per cent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has gone up to 4,31,50,434, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.2 per cent.

According to the ministry, 200.91 crore doses of Covid vaccines have so far been administered under the nationwide Covid vaccination drive.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 2020, 40 lakh on September 5, 2020 and 50 lakh on September 16, 2020.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 2020, 70 lakh on October 11, 2020, 80 lakh on October 29, 2020, 90 lakh on November 20, 2020 and the one-crore mark on December 19, 2020.

The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore Covid cases on May 4 last year, the three-crore mark on June 23 last year and four crore cases on January 25 this year.