COVID-19 cases reported in India in a span of 24 hours remained below 55,000 for the third consecutive day, while new fatalities recorded in a day dropped to 578 after almost three months, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated on Sunday.

India's COVID-19 caseload mounted to 78,64,811 with 50,129 fresh infections being reported in a day, while the death toll climbed to 1,18,534 with 578 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of active cases remained below seven lakh for three days in a row, while the national recovery rate has risen to 90 per cent.

There are 6,68,154 active cases in the country which comprise 8.50 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.

A total of 70,78,123 people have recuperated from the disease so far, pushing the national recovery rate to 90 per cent while the case fatality rate stands at 1.51 per cent.

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

It went past 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28 and crossed 70 lakh on October 11.

According to the ICMR, a cumulative total of 10,25,23,469 samples have been tested up to October 24 with 11,40,905 samples being tested on Saturday.

The 578 new fatalities include 137 from Maharashtra, 59 from West Bengal, 55 from Chhattisgarh, 52 from Karnataka, 36 from Delhi and 35 from Tamil Nadu.

Total 1,18,534 deaths reported so far in the country include 43,152 from Maharashtra followed by 10,893 from Tamil Nadu, 10,873 from Karnataka, 6,854 from Uttar Pradesh, 6,566 from Andhra Pradesh, 6,427 from West Bengal, 6,225 from Delhi, 4,107 from Punjab and 3,679 from Gujarat.

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.