The daily new COVID-19 cases fell below 30,000 for the third time this month taking India's virus  caseload to 98.84 lakh, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 93.88 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

The total coronavirus cases mounted to 98,84,100 with  27,071 infections being reported in a day. The death toll rose to 1,43,355 with 336 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 93,88,159 pushing the national recovery rate to 94.98 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.

The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 4 lakh for the eighth consecutive day.

There are 3,52,586 active coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 3.57 per 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 and 40 lakh on September 5.  It went past 50 lakh on September 16,  60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, and surpassed 90 lakh on November 20.

According to the ICMR, 15,45,66,990 samples have been tested up to December 12 with 8,55,157 samples being tested on Sunday.

The 336 new fatalities include 70 from Maharashtra, 47 from West Bengal, 33 from Delhi, 29 from Kerala and 20 from Punjab.

A total of 1,43,355 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 48,209 from Maharashtra followed by 11,944 from Karnataka, 11,895 from Tamil Nadu, 1,014 from Delhi, 9,057 from West Bengal, 8,072 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,057 from Andhra Pradesh and 5,077 from Punjab.

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.