India Records Over 6,000 Daily Covid Cases
India has reported more than 6,000 new Covid-19 cases for the fourth straight day on Monday, taking the country’s total number of coronavirus infections to over 145,000. The number of reported cases rose by 6,535 in the last 24 hours – an increase of 13% from the previous day. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are the two worst-affected states, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all cases in India.
Maharashtra Continues to See Surge in Cases
Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, has recorded over 50,000 cases, of which almost 35,000 have been reported in Mumbai alone. The state also has the highest number of deaths, with more than 1,600 fatalities. Despite this, the government has relaxed restrictions in some parts of the state, including Mumbai, in an effort to revive the economy.
Other States Increase Testing
Other states, such as Delhi and Karnataka, are ramping up testing in an effort to control the spread of the virus. Delhi, which has reported over 13,000 cases, plans to increase its daily testing capacity from 4,000 to 23,000 by the end of June. Karnataka, which has reported over 2,000 cases, has set a target of conducting 40,000 tests a day.
Government Eases Restrictions, but Experts Caution Against Relaxation
The government has been gradually easing restrictions across the country in recent weeks, allowing more businesses to reopen and domestic flights to resume. However, some health experts have warned that it may be too early to relax restrictions, as there are still many unknowns about the virus and its spread. They have called for increased testing and more stringent measures to be put in place to prevent the virus from spreading further.