New Delhi,  India recorded 53,480 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, 4.8 per cent lower than the day before, taking the total tally to 1,21,49,335 on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the country had recorded 56,211 cases, while on Monday, it logged 68,020 cases, the highest single-day spike in daily new cases since October 11 last year.

According to the ICMR, 24,36,72,940 samples have been tested up to March 30 with 10,22,915 samples being tested on Tuesday.

On Monday, only 7,85,864 samples were tested, while on Sunday, 9.13 lakh samples were tested, compared to over 10 lakh samples the previous days, according to the data by the apex research body.

Prior to March 30, India registered a steady increase for 19 days in a row. The active cases have now increased to 5,52,566 comprising 4.55 per cent of the total infections, while the recovery rate has further dropped to 94.11 per cent.

The death toll increased to 1,62,468 with 354 daily new fatalities. The number of people who have recovered from the disease surged to 1,14,34,301, while the case fatality rate stood at 1.34 per cent, the data stated.

India fought through the first wave of infection six months ago and recorded a highest single-day spike of 93,617 cases on September 16. The highest number of deaths recorded in a day were 1,169 on September 15.

Six states -- Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat are logging high numbers of Covid-19 daily new cases, the Health Ministry said.

The Centre has advised high-burden states and Union territories to take stringent measures for containment of the surge.

So far, 6.30 crore doses of corona vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on January 16 after approval for 'Covishield' and 'Covaxin'.