New Delhi: India saw a single-day rise of 44,111 new coronavirus infections, raising its tally to 3,05,02,362, while the death toll climbed to 4,01,050, with 738 new fatalities, the lowest in 86 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.

The active cases -- 4,95,533 -- were recorded below five lakh after 97 days and comprised 1.62 percent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate improved to 97.06 percent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

A net decline of 14,104 cases has been recorded in active coronavirus infections in a span of 24 hours, it said.

Also, 18,76,036 tests were conducted on Thursday, taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 41,64,16,463.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.35 percent. It has been less than 5 percent for 26 consecutive days, the ministry said.

The weekly positivity rate has declined to 2.50 percent, it added.

Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for 51st consecutive day. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,96,05,779, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.31 percent, the data stated.

Cumulative vaccine doses administered so far has reached 34.46 crore under the Nationwide Vaccination Drive, it said.

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.

The country crossed the grim milestone of 2 crore cases on May 4 and 3 crore on June 23.

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Wayanad(Kerala) (PTI): Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday took part in various official and outreach programmes, including inaugurating a health laboratory, in her Lok Sabha constituency.

Vadra, who is in Kerala on a three-day visit, inaugurated a health laboratory in Malappuram that was set up by the Kalikavu Service Cooperative Bank.

Later in the day, she interacted with potters at Nilambur, held a meeting with the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) state president T P Abdullah Koya Madani at Edavanna and met locals at Wayanad Churam (tunnel) bypass road at Chippilithode.

Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) is an Islamic reformist organisation.

The pottery workers, who presented Vadra with several gifts made by them, told the Congress MP about the difficulties faced by them in their profession.

She assured them that she will work on their issues.

Regarding the Wayanad Churam bypass road, the Congress MP told the people that she has already spoken to the Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari who has constituted a committee for a study to explore what is possible here and what is not.

She said that she will request for expediting the process.