India logged 24,354 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 3,37,91,061, while the active cases declined to 2,73,889, lowest in 197 days, according to the Union health ministry's data updated on Saturday.

The death toll climbed to 4,48,573 with 234 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.

The active cases comprise 0.81 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.86 per cent, the highest since March 2020, the ministry said.

India's total number of active cases at 2,73,889, which is the lowest in 197 days.

A decrease of 1,335 Covid cases has been recorded in the total number of active cases in a span of 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.

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

A total of 14,29,258 tests were conducted on Friday, taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 57,19,94,990.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.70 per cent. It has been less than three per cent for last 33 days. The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 1.68 per cent. It has been below three per cent for the last 99 days, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,30,68,599, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.33 per cent.

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 89.74 crore.

The 234 new fatalities include 95 from Kerala and 50 from Maharashtra.

A total of 4,48,573 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,39,117 from Maharashtra, 37,807 from Karnataka, 35,603 from Tamil Nadu, 25,182 from Kerala, 25,087 from Delhi, 22,892 from Uttar Pradesh, and 18,806 from 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.