By Sachin Ravikumar and Rajendra Jadhav
BENGALURU / MUMBAI (Reuters) – India on Thursday reported its worst increase in COVID-19 cases since the end of December on Thursday, as the western state of Maharashtra fought a new wave of infections and a blockade in one of the most densely populated cities imposed. .
A total of 22,854 new cases of coronavirus have been reported in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said. According to the Reuters version, this was the highest daily increase since December 25.
Deaths rose by 126 to 158 129. Since early February, the death toll has been rising daily by about 100.
India’s overall caseload of 11.3 million – the world’s largest outside the United States – has fallen steadily since its peak at the end of September, but increasing public gatherings and travel are causing a flurry at a time when the majority of Indians are still should not be vaccinated.
The figures are still well below the September high of more than 90,000 per day.
Recent outbreaks in Maharashtra have prompted officials to announce a shutdown – including a curfew and an order to close most offices and shops – in Nagpur’s trade and logistics center from March 15 to 21.
Decisions on the introduction of curbs in other areas will be taken in the next few days, Maharashtra Minister Uddhav Thackeray told reporters.
Government official Vinod Kumar Paul told a news conference that the authorities were “very concerned” about the growing number of cases in Maharashtra.
The state is also home to the financial capital of Mumbai and has accounted for almost 60% of daily new business in India.
“In districts … where the virus appears to be on the rise in a significant way, the vaccination of suitable individuals in those areas needs to be intensified,” Paul said.
(Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar in Bengaluru and Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai; Editing by Euan Rocha and Andrew Heavens)