India reported 92,596 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the infection tally to 2,90,89,069, while the number of active cases dropped to 12,31,415, according to the Union Health Ministry's data updated on Wednesday.

The daily infections remained below one lakh for the second straight day.

The death toll due to COVID-19 reached 3,53,528 after 2,219 more fatalities were reported, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of active cases has reduced to 12,31,415, comprising 4.23 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 94.55 per cent.

A net decline of 72,287 cases has been recorded in the COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

Also, 19,85,967 tests were conducted on Tuesday, taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 37,01,93,563, while the daily positivity rate was recorded at 4.66 per cent. It has been less than 10 per cent for 16 consecutive days, the ministry said.

The weekly positivity rate was recorded at  5.66 per cent.

Recoveries continue to outnumber daily new cases for 27 consecutive days.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 2,75,04,126, while the case fatality rate has increased to 1.22 per cent, the data stated.

Cumulatively, 23,90,58,360 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far  under the nationwide vaccination drive in the country.

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.

India had crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4.