The daily new coronavirus infections in India remained below 30,000 for the 19th consecutive day taking the Covid-19 caseload to 1,02,86,709, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 98.83 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

A total of 20,035 new infections were reported in a day, while the death toll increased to 1,48,994 with 256 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 98,83,461 pushing the national recovery rate to 96.08 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 11th consecutive day.

There are 2,54,254 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 2.47 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, 17,31,11,694 samples have been tested up to December 31 with 10,62,420 samples being tested on Thursday.

The 256 new fatalities include 58 from Maharashtra, 30 from Kerala, 29 from West Bengal and 21 from Chhattisgarh.

A total of 1,48,994 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 49,521 from Maharashtra followed by 12,122 from Tamil Nadu, 12,090 from Karnataka, 10,536 from Delhi, 9,712 from West Bengal, 8,364 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,108from Andhra Pradesh and 5,341 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.