The daily new coronavirus infections in India dipped below 20,000 for the third time this month taking the COVID-19 caseload to1,02,24,303, while the recoveries crossed 98 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday. A total of 16,432 new infections were reported in a span of 24 hours, the lowest in little over six months, while the death toll increased to 1,48,153 with 252 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 98,07,569 pushing the national recovery rate to95.92 per cent, while theCOVID-19casefatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh for the eighth consecutive day. There are 2,68,581 active coronavirus infections in the country whichcomprises2.63per 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 and50 lakh on September 16. It went past60 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,16,98,01,749 samples have been tested up to December 28 with 9,83,695 samples being tested on Monday.