The daily new coronavirus infections in India dipped below 20,000 for the third time this month taking the COVID-19 caseload to 1,02,24,303, while the recoveries crossed 98 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

A total of 16,432 new infections were reported in a span of 24 hours, the lowest in little over six months, while the death toll increased to 1,48,153 with 252 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 98,07,569 pushing the national recovery rate to 95.92 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh for the eighth consecutive day.

There are 2,68,581 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 2.63 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, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the ICMR, 16,98,01,749 samples have been tested up to December 28 with 9,83,695 samples being tested on Monday.

The 252 new fatalities include 50 from Maharashtra,27 from West Bengal, 26 from Chhattisgarh and 21 from Delhi.

A total of 1,48,153 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 49,305 from Maharashtra followed by 12,080 from Tamil Nadu, 12,070 from Karnataka, 10,474 from Delhi, 9,625 from West Bengal, 8,322 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,098 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,312 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.