India recorded more than 4,000 coronavirus deaths in a day for the first time and more states imposed lockdowns Saturday in a desperate bid to halt the devastating new surge.
The 4,187 new deaths took India’s overall toll to 238,270 since the pandemic started. It added another 401,078 new cases in 24 hours taking its caseload to nearly 21.9 million — second only to the United States.
Read also: COVID-19: UK Eases Foreign Travel Restrictions
Experts, who have expressed doubts about the official death toll, say the new wave may not hit a peak until the end of May and there have been mounting calls for tough nationwide measures.
Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition Congress party, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order a national lockdown or the spread could be “devastating” for India and other countries.
Britain has already declared a new variant found in India to be of “concern”.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
Twitter Suspends Accounts Promoting Trump Affiliated Websites
The government, stung by criticism of its handling of the new crisis, has largely left individual state administrations to handle pandemic clampdowns.
While major cities such as New Delhi and Mumbai have been boosted by extra supplies of oxygen — much of it from abroad — and new hospital beds opened up, the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala have all ordered lockdowns to counter an explosion in cases.
NNPCL confirms Port Harcourt Refinery is fully operational and functional. Media reports of refinery shutdown…
On Thursday, December 19, 2024, His Royal Majesty Oba Dr. Olukayode Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, the Alara…
In anticipation of its 50th anniversary, Epe Club, a distinguished institution in the Epe Division,…