India saw a single day rise of 41,383 coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,12,57,720, while the active cases registered an increase for the second consecutive day and were recorded at 4,09,394, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The country's COVID-19 death toll rose to 4,18,987 with 507 fresh fatalities.
The active cases comprise 1.31 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.35 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.
An increase of 2,224 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
As many as 17,18,439 tests were conducted on Wednesday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 45,09,11,712.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.41 per cent. It has been less than three per cent for 31 consecutive days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.12 per cent.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,04,29,339 and the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.
Cumulative vaccine doses administered so far has reached 41.78 crore under the nationwide vaccination drive.
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 507 new fatalities include 165 from Maharashtra and 105 from Kerala.
A total of 4,18,987 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,30,918 from Maharashtra, 36,262 from Karnataka, 33,809 from Tamil Nadu, 25,039 from Delhi, 22,739 from Uttar Pradesh, 18,027 from West Bengal and 16,246 from Punjab.
The 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.