With the highest-ever single-day spike of 45,720 cases, India's COVID-19 tally crossed the 12-lakh mark on Thursday, while the death-toll mounted to 29,861 with a record 1,129 fatalities in a day, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

The coronavirus caseload in the country surged to 12,38,635, while 7,82,606 people have recovered so far in the country, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Maharashtra continues to record the highest number of cases (3,37,607), followed by Tamil Nadu (1,86,492), Delhi (1,26,323), Karnataka (75,833), Andhra Pradesh (64,713), Uttar Pradesh (55,588) and Gujarat (51,399).

Medical experts and the central government had predicted the country to peak around August 21.

Covid-19 cases have relentlessly been rising even after strict measures have been implemented across the country, especially in worst-affected states such as Maharashtra and Delhi.

However, the increase in the numbers of tests have also effectively helped map the extent of the outbreak in the country.

The Indian Council of Medical Research on Thursday said that the premier medical research institute of the country has so far tested a total of 1,50,75,369 samples till July 22, of which 3,50,823 samples were tested on Wednesday alone.