Mon 05 April 2021:
India has reported a record rise in coronavirus infections, becoming only the second country after the United States to register more than 100,000 new cases in a day, as hospitals in its worst affected state are overrun by patients.
The ministry said 103,558 cases were diagnosed over the past 24 hours, taking the country’s total to over 12.5 million. The death toll now stands at 165,101, including 478 new fatalities.
The country has reported over 11.6 million recoveries, according to the ministry.
India reported over 90,000 cases per day in September last year, when it saw a peak, including an all-time high of around 98,000 cases. The numbers, however, declined until January this year.
According to the Health Ministry, the western state of Maharashtra has been badly affected due to COVID-19, reporting a large number of cases.
The Maharashtra government on Sunday evening announced new restrictions in the state, including a night curfew and a weekend lockdown, to prevent the further spread of the virus.
The Maharashtra government on Sunday announced new restrictions, including a night curfew and a weekend lockdown, to prevent the further spread of the virus.
The state will start shutting shopping malls, cinemas, bars, restaurants and places of worship from Monday evening.
Authorities will also impose a complete lockdown at weekends, as experts worried about a shortage of critical-care beds in hospitals, especially in its smaller cities.
As health officials continue to warn of gatherings in public places, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party leaders continue to hold mammoth rallies in several states where local elections are underway.
The government has also allowed a huge month-long Hindu festival to go ahead on the banks of the Ganges River in northern Uttarakhand state. The festival draws tens of thousands of devotees daily.
India is currently the third most affected country in the world in terms of cases after the US and Brazil.
