As many as 53,480 fresh infections pushed India's COVID-19 tally to 1,21,49,335, while 354 new fatalities, the highest single-day spike so far this year, took the death toll to 1,62,468, according to Union health ministry data updated on Wednesday.

The country had recorded 355 deaths on December 17.

The active caseload increased to 5,52,566 and accounts for 4.55 per cent of the total infections. The recovery rate further dropped to 94.11 per cent, the ministry data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,14,34,301, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, it stated.

India's COVID-19 tally 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 surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 24,36,72,940 samples had been tested up to March 30 with 10,22,915 being tested on Tuesday.

The 354 new fatalities include 139 from Maharashtra, 64 from Punjab, 35 from Chhattisgarh, 21 from Karnataka and 16 each from Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Of the total 1,62,468 deaths reported so far in the country, 54,422 were from Maharashtra, 12,700 from Tamil Nadu, 12,541 from Karnataka, 11,016 from Delhi, 10,327 from West Bengal, 8,800 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,213 from Andhra Pradesh and 6,813 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.