India recorded 43,846 new coronavirus cases in a day, the highest single-day rise so far this year, taking the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 1,15,99,130, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

Registering an increase for the 11th day in a row, the total active caseload has increased to 3,09,087, which now comprises 2.66 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 95.96 per cent, the data stated.

The daily rise in infections was the highest recorded in 115 days. The death toll increased to 1,59,755 with 197 daily new fatalities, the highest in 97 days, the data updated at 8 am showed.

As many as 44,489 new infections were recorded in a span of 24 hours on November 26.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,11,30,288, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.38 per cent, 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 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.

According to the ICMR, 23,35,65,119 samples have been tested up to March 20 with 11,33,602 samples being tested on Saturday.

The 197 new fatalities include 92 from Maharashtra, 38 from Punjab, 15 from Kerala and 11 from Chhattisgarh.

A total of 1,59,755 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 53,300 from Maharashtra, 12,590 from Tamil Nadu, 12,432 from Karnataka, 10,955 from Delhi, 10,303 from West Bengal, 8,758 from Uttar Pradesh and 7,189 from Andhra Pradesh.

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.