India reported a record number of Covid-19 cases for the fifth straight day on Monday while the official death toll also jumped.
Official data showed there were 352,991 new reported cases over a 24-hour period as total infection numbers crossed 17 million.
At least 2,812 people died which pushed the total death toll to over 195,000 — media reports suggest that the official death rate is likely undercounted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has faced criticism for allowing large crowds to gather for religious festivals and election rallies in various parts of the country this year. Prior to the second wave, India had on average around 10,000 new cases daily.
But so far in April alone, the South Asian nation has reported more than 5 million new cases, sending the country’s health care system to the brink.
Hospitals have run out of beds and are turning away even critically ill patients. There is a severe oxygen supply shortage, partly due to uneven distribution across states. That has led to the deaths of many Covid-19 patients as the government scrambles to send supplies to the worst-hit states by road, rail and air.
By CNBC News