India recorded its highest daily rise in COVID-19 cases this year with 72,330 new infections being reported in a span of 24 hours, taking the total tally of cases to 1,22,21,665, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The single-day rise in cases is the highest recorded since October 11, 2020, while the death toll increased to 1,62,927 with 459 daily new fatalities, the highest in around 116 days, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Registering a steady increase for the 22nd day in row, the active cases have increased to 5,84,055 comprising 4.78 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 93.89 per cent, the data stated.

As many as 74,383 new infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours on October 11, 2020.

The active caseload was at its lowest at 1,35,926 on February 12 comprising 1.25 per cent of the total infections.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,14,74,683. The case fatality rate has further has dropped to 1.33 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, 24,47,98,621 samples have been tested up to March 31 with 11,25,681 samples being tested on Wednesday.

The 459 new fatalities include 227 from Maharashtra, 55 Punjab, 39 from Chhattisgarh, 26 from Karnataka, 19 from Tamil Nadu, 15 from Kerala and 11 each from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

A total of 1,62,927 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 54,649 from Maharashtra, 12,719 from Tamil Nadu, 12,567 from Karnataka, 11,027 from Delhi, 10,329 from West Bengal, 8,811 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,217 from Andhra Pradesh and 6,868 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.