India's coronavirus cases overtake UK to become fourth largest in the world
India’s number of coronavirus cases has soared by more than 10,000 in one day, making it the nation with the fourth largest number of cases in the world.
The country’s latest single-day spike of 10,956 saw India overtake the UK in number of cases.
The increase comes as India has started easing its lockdown, which is now only being enforced in high-risk areas.
India has allowed the reopening of shops, shopping centres, factories and religious places but schools, colleges, cinemas and subways remain closed.
India now has a total of 297,535 coronavirus cases, including 8,498 deaths, according to its Health Ministry.
Its number of confirmed cases is behind only the US, Brazil and Russia.
Balram Bhargava, director-general of the Indian Council of Medical Research, said the country’s two-month lockdown had kept transmissions low but with a population of 1.3bn, the fight against the virus is likely to go on for months.
He said Mumbai, New Delhi and Chennai are the worst-hit cities in the country, with urban residents having a greater chance of contracting the virus.
Infections in rural areas had also surged after migrant workers who left cities and towns having lost jobs returned to their home towns.
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