Covid cases surge to six month high in India
Maharashtra’s chief minister warns citizens face lockdown if infections continue to rise
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/04/04/10/PRI189224646.jpg)
Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
![Louise Thomas](https://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/support-us/louise-thomas.png)
Louise Thomas
Editor
India‘s biggest cities are braced for stricter lockdowns and further Covid-19 curbs after infections hit a six-month high on Saturday, as a month-long surge continued in the country third-worst hit by the pandemic.
India‘s richest state, Maharashtra, accounted for more than half of the 89,129 new cases reported by the national health ministry in the last 24 hours, with a record 47,827 infections.
The state’s chief minister warned citizens of a lockdown if cases continued to rise at their current rate, saying medical infrastructure would be inadequate in a couple of weeks.
In the southern state of Karnataka, home to India‘s tech capital Bengaluru, authorities ordered gyms to be closed, barred functions at religious places and told cinema halls, bars, pubs and restaurants to limit the number of people allowed in.
India‘s capital, New Delhi recorded more than 3,500 cases, its highest this year, but its chief minister ruled out another lockdown for now.
Read more:
- At least 48 killed in Taiwan train crash after carriages derail in tunnel
- Aung San Suu Kyi charged with violating secrets law
- Two teenage girls gang-raped in woods as they celebrated Holi festival in India
- Man smoking in restaurant throws hot soup at woman who asked him to stop
- Why well-heeled travellers are flocking to Kenya during lockdown
Daily coronavirus cases have surged from around 15,000 in early March to 88,000 or so at the start of April.
The south Asian nation recorded 89,129 new infections and 714 deaths, the ministry said. That was the biggest daily rise since 20 September and the most deaths since 21 October, according to a Reuters tally.
India follows only the United States and Brazil in infections, with more than 12 million recorded since the start of the outbreak.
The government has intensified its vaccination drive in recent weeks, but the shots have been slow to reach India‘s 1.3 billion people.
Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, has faced criticism for exporting vaccines produced in India when most Indians are yet to get them.
Reuters
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments