India reported 1,32,364 new   coronavirus infections taking the country's total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,85,74,350, while the recovery rate crossed 93 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,40,702 with 2,713 fresh deaths, while the active cases were recorded below 20 lakh for the fourth consecutive day, the data updated at 8 am showed.

A total of 20,75,428 tests were conducted on Thursday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 35,74,33,846.

The daily positivity was recorded at 6.38 per cent. It has been less than 10 per cent for 11 consecutive days, the ministry said, adding the weekly positivity rate has declined to 7.27 per cent.

The active cases have reduced to 16,35,993 comprising  5.73 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 93.08 per cent.

A net decline of 77,420 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for 22 consecutive days. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,65,97,655, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.19 per cent, the data stated.

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. India crossed the grim milestone of 2 crore on May 4.

The 2,713 new fatalities include 643 from Maharashtra, 514 from Karnataka, 460 from Tamil Nadu, 153 from Kerala, 108 each from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

A total of 3,40,702 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 97,394 from Maharashtra, 30,531 from Karnataka, 25,665 from Tamil Nadu, 24,447 from Delhi, 20,895 from Uttar Pradesh, 15,921 from West Bengal, 14,840 from Punjab and 13,139 from Chhattisgarh.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.