India’s daily virus cases breach 100,000; mutants, behaviour blamed

• India reported a record rise in COVID-19 infections on 5 Apr 21, becoming the second country after the United States to post more than 100,000 new cases in a day, as politicians stage massive election rallies raising fears of further spreading the virus.
• Hospitals in the worst affected state, Maharashtra, are being overrun by patients. India’s richest state, home to its commercial capital Mumbai and numerous industries, reported a record 57,074 new cases overnight.
• Maharashtra will start shutting shopping malls, cinemas, bars, restaurants and places of worship from 5 Apr 21 evening. Authorities will also impose a complete lockdown at weekends, as experts worried about a shortage of critical-care beds in hospitals, especially in its smaller cities.
• The country’s daily infections have risen about 12-fold since hitting a multi-month low in early Feb 21, when authorities eased most restrictions and people largely stopped wearing masks and following social distancing.
• India has recorded the most number of infections in the past week anywhere in the world. More infectious variants of the virus may have played a role in the second surge, some epidemiologists say.
• Meanwhile, India has injected 77 million doses at home since starting its campaign in the middle of Jan 21 – the third highest after the United States and China.
• India’s per capita COVID-19 vaccinations, however, are lower than many other countries, including that of more populated China that started giving shots to its citizens much earlier.
• In a meeting held by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 Apr 21, officials discussed raising the country’s vaccine output further. The government has in recent weeks slowed vaccine exports, after shipping more than 65 million doses.
• Though cases have risen exponentially in nearly a dozen states, politicians and ministers are still addressing election rallies attended by tens of thousands of mask-less people jostling for space.
• The health minister in the northeastern state of Assam, currently voting to elect a new government, was ridiculed on social media on the weekend after saying there was no need for masks in his state and that wearing one hurts businesses like beauty parlours.

External Link : https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2BS06T

External Link : https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2BR0DF