India records 7,240 new COVID-19 cases, 8 deaths

New Delhi: The single-day rise in new coronavirus infections in the country was recorded over 7,000 after 99 days, registering around 39 per cent jump in daily cases, while the daily positivity rate crossed 2 per cent after 111 days, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday.

A total of 7,240 infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours taking India’s total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,31,97,522, while the death toll has climbed to 5,24,723 with eight fresh fatalities, data updated at 8 am by the ministry stated.

The active cases have increased to 32,498, comprising 0.08 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.71 per cent, the health ministry said.

A total of 7,554 new Covid cases were reported on March 1.

An increase of 3,641 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 case count in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.13 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was also recorded at 1.31 per cent, according to the data.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,26,40,301 , while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.21 per cent.

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 194.59 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, 2020. India crossed the grim milestone of two crore cases on May 4 and three crore on June 23, 2021.

The eight new fatalities include one each from Delhi and Chhattisgarh and six deaths from Kerala.