India added 39,742 new cases of coronavirus infection taking the total tally of Covid-19 cases to 3,13,71,901, while the death toll rose to 4,20,551 with 535 fresh fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

The active cases have declined to 4,08,212 and comprise 1.30 per cent of the total infections and the national Covid-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 97.36 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

A decline of 765 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

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.

As many as 17,18,756 tests were conducted on Saturday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of Covid-19 in the country to 45,62,89,567.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.31 per cent . It has been less than three per cent for 34 consecutive days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.24 per cent.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,05,43,138, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.

Cumulative vaccine doses administered so far has reached 43.31 crore under the nationwide vaccination drive.

The 535 new fatalities include 224 from Maharashtra and 98 from Kerala.

A total of 4,20551 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,31,429 from Maharashtra, 36,352 from Karnataka, 33,889 from Tamil Nadu, 25,041 from Delhi, 22,749 from Uttar Pradesh and 18,064 from Bengal.

The health 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.