India logs 20,557 new coronavirus cases, 40 fatalities

India added 20,557 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,38,03,619, while the active cases increased to 1,45,654, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

The death toll climbed to 5,25,825 with 40 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.33 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.47 percent, the ministry said.

An increase of 2000 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in 24 hours. The daily positivity rate was recorded at 4.13 percent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 4.64 percent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,31,32,140 and the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.20 percent. According to the ministry, 200.61 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

India’s COVID-19 tally 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. The country crossed the grim milestone of two crores on May 4 and three crores on June 23 last year. It crossed the four-crore mark on January 25 this year. The 40 new fatalities include 11 from Kerala, six each from West Bengal and Maharashtra, four from Punjab, three from Sikkim, two from Delhi, and one each from Haryana, Jammu, and Kashmir, Manipur, Odisha, and Rajasthan.