New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS): In the last 24 hours, India registered 7,145 new Covid-19 cases and 289 deaths, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Saturday.

With the new fatalities, the nationwide death toll has increased to 4,77,158.

The recovery of 8,706 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally to 3,41,71,471. Consequently, India's recovery rate stands at 98.38 per cent, the highest since March 2020.

India's active caseload is 84,565, the lowest in 569 days. Active cases account for 0.24 per cent of the country's total positive cases, which is the lowest since March 2020.

Also in the same period, a total of 12,45,402 tests were conducted across the country, increasing the total to 66.28 crore.

Meanwhile, the weekly positivity rate at 0.62 per cent has remained less than 1 per cent for the last 34 days now.

The daily positivity rate at 0.57 per cent has also remained below 2 per cent for last 75 days and less than 3 per cent for 110 consecutive days now.

With the administration of 62,06,244 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's Covid inoculation coverage has reached 136.66 crore as of Saturday morning.

This has been achieved through 1,43,67,288 sessions.

More than 17.21 crore balance and unutilised Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs, according to the Ministry.