A total of 1,86,364 new coronavirus infections were reported in a day, the lowest in around 44 days, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,75,55,457. The death toll climbed to 3,18,895 with 3,660 daily deaths, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The daily COVID-19 count in India last fell below the 2-lakh mark on May 25.

Also, 20,70,508 tests were conducted on Thursday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 33,90,39,861.

The daily positivity rate has declined to 9 per cent. It has been less than 10 per cent for four consecutive days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate has further declined to 10.42 per cent.

Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for the 15th consecutive day, it said.

The active cases have further reduced to 23,43,152 comprising 8.50 per cent of the total infections with a net decline of 76,755 cases in the active caseload in 24 hours, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 90.34 per cent.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,48,93,410 and the case fatality rate has increased to 1.16 per cent, the data stated.

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 2 crore on May 4.

The 3,660 new fatalities include 884 from Maharashtra, 476 from Karnataka, 474 from Tamil Nadu, 187 from Uttar Pradesh, 181 from Kerala, 177 from Punjab, 148 from West Bengal, 117 from Delhi and 104 from Andhra Pradesh.

A total of 3,18,895 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 92,225 from Maharashtra, 27,405 from Karnataka, 23,812 from Delhi, 22,289 from Tamil Nadu, 19,899 from Uttar Pradesh, 14,975 from West Bengal, 14,004 from Punjab and 12,848 from Chhattisgarh.

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.

The ministry also said that cumulatively 20.57 crore number of COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the country.

India is the second country after the US to achieve the vaccination landmark of 20 crore.