In the last 24 hours, India reported 27 Covid-19 deaths, the highest single-day fatalities in the past six months, according to official figures issued by the Union Health Ministry on Saturday.

The last time India recorded 20 or more Covid deaths was on October 15, 2022.

The country's overall death toll has now increased to 5,31,091.

According to the data, Delhi reported six deaths, followed by four in Maharashtra, three in Rajasthan, and one each in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

The figure also includes six deaths that were reconciled by Kerala.

Also in the same period, there were 10,753 fresh cases, taking the number of active infections to 53,720, the Ministry figures revealed.

The daily and weekly positivity rates were recorded at 6.78 and 4.49, respectively.

Since the pandemic first erupted in early 2020, India has so far reported a total 4,48,08,022 Covid-19 cases.

The active caseload now comprise only 0.12 per cent of the total infections, and the national recovery rate has been recorded at 98.69.

The number of people who have recovered from the disease rose to 4,42,23,211, and the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19.

"The nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive has administered 220.66 crore vaccine doses so far," the data stated. [IANS/NS]