The active cases also registered an increase for the sixth consecutive day and the COVID-19 active caseload increased to 1,88,747 which now comprises 1.68 per cent of the total infections.

The recovery rate has dropped further to 96.91 per cent, the data stated.

A total of 18,599 new infections were registered in a day, while the death toll increased to 1,57,853  with 97 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 1,08,82,798 which translates to a national COVID-19 recovery rate of  96.91 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, 22,19,68,271 samples have been tested up to March 7 with 5,37,764 samples being tested on Sunday.

The 97 new fatalities include 38 from Maharashtra, 17 from Punjab and 13 from Kerala.

A total of 1,57,853 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 52,478 from Maharashtra followed by 12,518  from Tamil Nadu, 12,362 from Karnataka, 10,921 from Delhi, 10,278 from West Bengal, 8,737 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,174 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.