New Delhi, May 29 (IANS): India on Saturday reported 1,73,790 fresh Covid-19 cases while 3,617 patients succumbed to the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry said.

This is for the third time since April 13 that India has recorded less than two lakh cases of Covid. On May 25, India has recorded 1.96 lakh cases of Covid, and 1,86,364 cases on May 28.

The fatalities have also remained below 4,000 for three consecutive days.

India's overall tally of Covid-19 cases now stands at 2,77,29,247 with 22,28,724 active cases, and 3,22,512 deaths, so far.

According to the Health Ministry, a total of 2,84,601 people have been discharged in the last 24 hours, with 2,51,78,011 being cured from Covid to date.

The Health Ministry said that a total of 20,89,02,445 people have been vaccinated so far in the country, including 30,62,747 who were administered vaccines in the last 24 hours.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 34,11,19,909 samples have been tested up to May 28 for Covid-19. Of these 20,80,048 samples were tested on Friday.

In the last 18 days, India has recorded over 68,000 deaths. On May 24, India crossed a grim milestone of three-lakh deaths due to coronavirus infections, thus becoming the world's third country after the US and Brazil to cross three-lakh deaths.

India registered record deaths due to Covid exactly a week back with 4,529 deaths -- the highest number of fatalities from Covid infection in any country since the coronavirus outbreak was reported in China's Wuhan in December 2019.

It surpassed 4,468 deaths in the US on January 12, and earlier 4,211 in Brazil on April 6.

After battling a brutal second wave for weeks, fresh Covid cases came down below the three lakh mark for the first time on May 17 after touching a record high of 4,14,188 on May 7.