With 1,72,433 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's total tally of Covid-19 cases rose to 4,18,03,318, while the active cases decreased to 15,33,921, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The death toll climbed to 4,98,983 with 1,008 fresh fatalities, including 500 from Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 3.67 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has decreased to 95.14 per cent, the ministry said.

A reduction of 87,682 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 10.99 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 12.98 per cent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,97,70,414, 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 167.87 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 1,008 new fatalities include 81 from Karnataka.

Of the 500 deaths in Kerala, 29 were reported in the last 24 hours, 136 were those which occurred in the last few days but were not recorded due to late receipt of documents and 335 were designated as Covid-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court, the state government said.

A total of 4,98,983 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,42,784 from Maharashtra, 56,100 from Kerala, 39,137 from Karnataka, 37,636 from Tamil Nadu, 25,919 from Delhi, 23,254 from Uttar Pradesh and 20,687 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.