India recorded its highest daily tally of COVID-19 cases this year with 22,854 new infections, taking the total tally to 1,12,85,561, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The country last recorded such an increase in daily cases 76 days ago on December 25 when it registered 23,067 infections in a day.

The death toll increased to 1,58,189 with 126 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The total active cases have increased to 1,89,226 which now comprises 1.68 per cent of the total infections.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,09,38,146 which translates to a national COVID-19 recovery rate of 96.92 per cent, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.40 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.

According to the ICMR, 22,42,58,293 samples have been tested up to March 10 with 7,78,416 samples being tested on Wednesday.

The 126 new fatalities include 54 from Maharashtra, 17 from Punjab and 14 from Kerala.

A total of 1,58,189 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 52,610 from Maharashtra followed by 12,530 from Tamil Nadu, 12,379 from Karnataka, 10,931 from Delhi, 10,283 from Bengal, 8,740 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,177 from Andhra Pradesh.

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.