India today recorded 761 fresh COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths due to the viral disease, according to Union health ministry data.The number of active COVID-19 cases in the country came down marginally to 4,334 from 4,423 on Thursday, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Kerala has the highest number of active cases at 1,249, followed by Karnataka at 1,240, Maharashtra at 914, Tamil Nadu at 190, and Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh at 128 each.

Of the 12 fresh deaths, five were reported from Kerala, four from Karnataka, two from Maharashtra, and one from Uttar Pradesh, the data stated.

The number of daily cases was in double digits till December 5 but it began to rise again amid cold weather conditions and after the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant.

The daily numbers were in lakhs at the peak of the pandemic, which began in early 2020. More than 4.5 crore people have been infected and over 5.3 lakh have died across the country in four years.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease stands at over 4.4 crore with a national recovery rate of 98.81 per cent, the ministry's website stated.

According to the website, 220.67 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered so far in the country.