The number of Covid-19 cases remained less than 20,000 over the past 24 hours in India, while the number of recoveries inched the one-crore mark, data updated by the Union health ministry showed on Sunday.

India recorded 18,177 new cases in a day, while 99,27,310 people have recuperated so far pushing the national recovery rate to 96.15 per cent on Sunday, according to the ministry data.

The total coronavirus cases mounted to 1,03,23,965 and the death toll climbed to 1,49,435 with the novel coronavirus virus claiming 217 lives in a span of 24 hours in the country, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The Covid-19 fatality rate stood at 1.45 per cent on Sunday.

The number of active COVID-19 cases remained below three lakh for the 12th consecutive day.

There are 2,47,220 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 2.39 per cent of the total caseload, 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, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the ICMR, a cumulative total of 17,48,99,783 samples have been tested up to January 2 with 9,58,125 samples being tested on Saturday.

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 a state-wise distribution of the figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.