A ragpicker stands in front of a mural on COVID-19 coronavirus awareness, painted on a wall along the roadside in New Delhi. AFP

New Delhi: India’s tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 1,08,26,363 with 12,059 new infections being reported in a day, while the daily deaths fell below 100 for the third time this month, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

The toll increased to 1,54,996 with 78 daily new fatalities, the lowest recorded after nine months, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,05,22,601, pushing the national COVID-19 recovery rate of 97.20 percent, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.43 percent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 2 lakh.

There are 1,48,766 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 1.37 percent of the total caseload, the data stated.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on 7 August, 30 lakh on 23 August, 40 lakh on 5 September and 50 lakh on 16 September.

It went past 60 lakh on 28 September, 70 lakh on 11 October, crossed 80 lakh on 29 October, 90 lakh on 20 November and surpassed the one crore mark on 19 December.

According to ICMR, 20,13,68,378 samples have been tested up to February 6 with 6,95,789 samples being tested on Saturday.

The 78 new fatalities include 25 from Maharashtra, 16 from Kerala, 5 from Punjab and 4 each from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

A total of 1,54,996 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 51,280 from Maharashtra, followed by 12,382 from Tamil Nadu,  12,233 from Karnataka, 10,877 from Delhi, 10,202 from West Bengal, 8,686 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,159 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.