In this April 25, 2021, file photo, people wearing masks as a precaution against the coronavirus wait to test for COVID-19 at a government hospital in Hyderabad, India. (Photo: AP)

NEW DELHI, May 12 (Xinhua) -- India's COVID-19 death toll crossed the 250,000-mark, reaching 254,197, and the total tally surpassed 23 million on Wednesday, confirmed the federal health ministry.

As many as 4,205 deaths, the highest so far, were registered during the past 24 hours, and 348,421 cases were recorded since Tuesday morning, taking the total to 23,340,938.

There are still 3,704,099 active cases in the country, with a decrease of 11,122 in the past 24 hours. This is the second consecutive day when a decrease in active cases was witnessed.

A total of 19,382,642 people have been cured and discharged from hospitals so far across the country.