India reported 92,596 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the infection tally to 2,90,89,069, while the number of active cases dropped to 12,31,415, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated on Wednesday.

The daily infections remained below one lakh for the second straight day.

The death toll due to COVID-19 reached 3,53,528 with 2,219 more fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of active cases has reduced to 12,31,415, comprising 4.23 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 94.55 per cent.

A net decline of 72,287 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

Also, 19,85,967 tests were conducted on Tuesday, taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 37,01,93,563, while the daily positivity rate was recorded at 4.66 per cent. It has been less than 10 per cent for 16 consecutive days, the ministry said.

The weekly positivity rate was recorded at 5.66 per cent.

Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for 27 consecutive days.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,75,04,126, while the case fatality rate has increased to 1.22 per cent, the data stated.

Cumulatively, 23,90,58,360 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.

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.

India had crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4.

The 2,219 new fatalities include 702 from Maharashtra, 409 from Tamil Nadu, 179 from Karnataka and 124 from Kerala.

A total of 3,53,528 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,01,172 from Maharashtra, 32,099 from Karnataka, 27,765 from Tamil Nadu, 24,668 from Delhi, 21,425 from Uttar Pradesh, 16,460 from West Bengal, 15,219 from Punjab and 13,257 from Chhattisgarh.

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.