New Delhi: India's Covid infection tally climbed to 2,73,69,093 as 2,11,298 more people tested positive for the disease in a day, while the country's recovery went up to 90 per cent, according to the Union Health ministry on Thursday.
The death toll due to the disease rose to 3,15,235 with 3,847 fresh fatalities being reported in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.
Also, 21,57,857 COVID-19 tests were conducted on Wednesday, taking the total number of such exams done so far in the country to 33,69,69,353.
The daily positivity was recorded at 9.79 per cent. It has been less than 10 per cent for three consecutive days now, the ministry said.
The weekly positivity rate has also declined and now stands at 10.93 per cent.
The count of active cases has further reduced to 24,19,907, which is 8.84 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 90.01 per cent, the data showed.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,46,33,951, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.15 per cent, it stated.
Meanwhile, a steady decline in new cases has been recorded in India for the last 20 days, with 24 states witnessing a dip in active cases since the last week, the Union Health ministry said on Thursday.
It also noted that the country is on a downswing of the second wave of COVID-19.
"We are on a downswing of the second wave of COVID-19 and believe that it will be sustained even when restrictions are significantly relaxed," the ministry said.
A steady decline in fresh cases has been recorded in India for the last 20 days. Twenty-four states have also reported a decline in active COVID-19 cases since the last week, it said.
The ministry also added that while COVID-19 testing has increased manifold, a steady decline in the weekly positivity rate has been seen since the last three weeks.
The Centre also termed a recent report by the New York Times (NYT) on the estimated COVID-19 death toll in India as completely baseless and false.
The NYT report is not backed by any evidence and based on distorted estimates, it added.