With the fresh cases, the total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 4,29,93,494.

The death toll climbed to 5,15,877 with 27 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.08 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate further improved to 98.72 per cent, the ministry said.

Also read: Former US President Barack Obama tests COVID positive, says he’s ‘feeling fine’

A reduction of 1,901 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The number of cases is the lowest since May 4, 2020.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,24,41,449 and the case fatality rate was recorded as 1.20 per cent.

Also read: Millions locked down in Jilin as China fights worst virus outbreak in two years

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 180.19 crore.

Daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.47 per cent and weekly positivity rate at 0.47 per cent.

Also read: China records nearly 3,400 new COVID cases, highest in two years

As many as 77.90 crore total tests have been conducted so far and 5,32,232 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.

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.