In a first in over five months, India’s daily Covid-19 case count fell below 23,000, as the national recovery rate stood at 95 per cent, data updated by the Health Ministry showed on Tuesday.

The Covid-19 caseload surged to 99,06,165 with 22,065 infections being reported over the past 24 hours, as 354 new fatalities pushed the death toll to 1,43,709, data updated at 8 am said.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 94,22,636 pushing the national recovery rate to 95.12 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stood at 1.45 per cent.

The active Covid-19 caseload remained below four lakh for the eighth consecutive day on Tuesday, with 3,39,820 active cases comprising 3.43 per cent of the total caseload.

India's Covid-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7; 30 lakh on August 23; and 40 lakh on September 5. It went past 50 lakh on September 16; 60 lakh on September 28; 70 lakh on October 11; 80 lakh on October 29; and 90 lakh on November 20.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 15,55,60,655 samples have been tested up to December 14, of which 9,93,665 were conducted on Monday.

The 354 new fatalities include 60 each from Delhi and Maharashtra, 43 from Bengal, 24 from Kerala and 21 from Punjab.

Total 1,43,709 deaths reported so far in the country include 48,269 from Maharashtra, 11,954 from Karnataka, 11,909 from Tamil Nadu, 10,074 from Delhi, 9,100 from West Bengal, 8,083 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,059 from Andhra Pradesh, and 5,098 from Punjab.

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.