The active cases registered an increase for the fifth consecutive day. The COVID-19 active caseload increased to  1,84,523 which now comprises 1.65 per cent of the total infections. 

The recovery rate has dropped further to 96.95 per cent, the ministry data stated. 

A total of 18,711 new infections were registered in a day, while the death toll increased to 1,57,756 with 100  daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. 

On January 29, 18,855 new infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours. 

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,08,68,520 which translates to a national COVID-19 recovery rate of  96.95 per cent, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.41 per cent. 

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,  22,14,30,507 samples have been tested up to March 6 with 7,37,830 samples being tested on Saturday. 

The 100 new fatalities include 47 from Maharashtra, 16 from Kerala and 12 from Punjab. 

A total of 1,57,756 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 52,440 from Maharashtra followed by 12,517  from Tamil Nadu, 12,359 from Karnataka, 10,919 from Delhi, 10,277 from West Bengal, 8,729 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,173 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.