New Delhi: India's COVID-19 caseload went past 92 lakh with 44,376 new cases reported in a day, while the number of recoveries surged to 86.42 lakh, the health ministry said on Wednesday. The number of total coronavirus cases rose to 92,22,216 in the country, while the death toll due to the disease climbed to 1,34,699 with 481 new fatalities, the ministry's data updated at 8 am showed.

The active caseload shot up to4,44,746, an increase of 6,079 cases from Tuesday, even though it remained below five lakh for the 15th consecutive day, accounting for 4.82 per cent of the total cases, the data stated. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 86,42,771, pushing the national recovery rate to93.72per cent, while the COVID-19casefatality rate stands at 1.46 per cent.

India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30-lakh mark on August 23 and 40-lakh mark on September 5. It went past 50 lakh on September 16,60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29 and 90 lakh on November 20.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), over13.48 crore samples were tested for COVID-19 up to November 24, including 11,59,032on Tuesday. The 481 new fatalities include 109 from Delhi, 49 from West Bengal, 33 each from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, 30 from Maharashtra, 24 from Kerala, 22 from Punjab and 21 from Chhattisgarh.

Of the 1,34,699 deaths reported in the country so far due to the disease, Maharashtra accounts for 46,683, followed by Karnataka (11,695), Tamil Nadu (11,639), Delhi (8,621), West Bengal (8,121), Uttar Pradesh (7,615), Andhra Pradesh (6,956), Punjab (4,653) and Gujarat (3,892). According to the health ministry, 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 a state-wise distribution of the figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.