New Delhi, March 29 : Eight states -- Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh -- reported a high number of Covid-19 daily new cases. India recorded 68,020 new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours. About 84.5 per cent of the new cases are reported from these eight states. Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 40,414. It is followed by Karnataka with 3,082 while Punjab reported 2,870 new cases. This is the highest surge since October 11, last year. As many as 74,383 new cases were recorded in a span of 24 hours on October 11. 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. The Central Government has advised high-burden states and Union territories to take stringent measures for containment of the surge. Besides this, India's total active Caseload has reached 5,21,808 today. The present active caseload now stands at 4.33 per cent of India's total positive cases. A net incline of 35,498 cases recorded from the total active caseload in the last 24 hours. Five states -- Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh cumulatively account for 80.17 per cent of the total active cases in the country. India's cumulative recoveries stand at 1,13,55,993 on Monday. The national Recovery Rate is 94.32 per cent. 32,231 recoveries were registered in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of single day recoveries with 17,874 newly recovered cases. Besides this, 291 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours. Seven states account for 81.79 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (108). Punjab follows with 69 daily deaths. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 24,18,64,161 samples have been tested up to March 28 with 9,13,319 samples being tested on Sunday. So far, 6.05 crore doses of corona vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on January 16 after approval for 'Covishield' and 'Covaxin'. These include 81,56,997 healthcare workers (1st dose), 51,78,065 healthcare workers (2nd dose), 89,12,113 frontline workers (1st dose) and 36,92,136 frontline workers (2nd Dose), 67,31,223 beneficiaries aged more than 45 years with specific co-morbidities (1st Dose) and 2,78,59,901 beneficiaries aged more than 60 years. Now, those over 45 years of age will also get Covid-19 vaccine from April 1, irrespective of the comorbidities, the Central Government has announced. /IANS