India added 6,298 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,45,22,777, while the active cases climbed 46,748, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

The death toll climbed to 5,28,273 with 23 fatalities which includes four deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 2.04 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 98.71 per cent, the ministry said.

An increase of 359 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.89 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 1.70 per cent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to        4,39,47,756, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent.

According to the ministry,  216.17 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

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.

The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and  three crore on June 23 last year. It crossed the four-crore mark on January 25 this year.

The 19 new deaths recorded in the last 24 hours include seven from Maharashtra and three from Delhi.