India added 1,49,394 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total virus tally to 4,19,52,712, while the active cases further declined to 14,35,569, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

The death toll climbed to 5,00,055 with 1,072 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 3.42 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate improved to 95.39 per cent, the ministry said.

A reduction of 98,352 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 9.27 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 12.03 per cent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,00,17,088, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent.

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 168.47 crore.

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.

India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23.

The 1,072 new fatalities include 601 from Kerala and 75 from Maharashtra.

Of the 601 deaths in Kerala, 36 were reported in the last 24 hours, 124 were those which occurred in the last few days but were not recorded due to late receipt of documents and 441 were designated as Covid deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court, the state government said on Thursday.

A total of 5,00,055 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,42,859 from Maharashtra, 56,701 from Kerala, 39,197 from Karnataka, 37,666 from Tamil Nadu, 25,932 from Delhi, 23,277 from Uttar Pradesh and 20,723 from West Bengal.

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.