India Sees Record 4,187 COVID-19 Fatalities, Daily Infections Top 400,000 Again
India saw more than 4,000 deaths linked to COVID-19 in a day for the first time and over 400,000 daily infections for the fourth time in a week, official data released on Saturday showed.
At least 4,187 people died in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll from the pandemic to 238,270, according to the federal Health Ministry.
The overall caseload neared 22 million as 401,078 cases had been detected since Friday, it said. Saturday was the third straight day that India saw over 400,000 new cases, after becoming the first country to cross that figure on May 1.
Health-care systems are now being pushed to the brink in southern and eastern India that are reporting unprecedented surges in infections. Several states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, have announced new lockdowns to break the chains of infection.
India’s second wave of COVID-19 has already caused havoc in health-care systems in the major cities of New Delhi and Mumbai, flooded hospitals with patients and overburdened cremation facilities.
India ranks second behind the United States’ 32.6 million cases, while its fatality count ranks third behind the US and Brazil, which have both crossed 400,000 deaths.
Experts have speculated that the current wave of infections could peak by mid-May but past projections have been proved wrong.
According to scientists, a third wave was inevitable in India, but government officials said the country could dodge a new outbreak if strong measures were taken.
