NEW DELHI (Reuters) – New cases of COVID-19 in India rose to a record 152,879 on Sunday, while the country fought a second wave of infections by pushing for faster vaccinations, while some states are considering stricter restrictions on distribution. of the virus.
India leads the world in the daily average number of new infections reported, and is responsible for one in six infections reported worldwide, according to a Reuters version.
Daily affairs set record highs six times this week, according to data from the federal Department of Health.
Deaths have also risen, with the federal Department of Health reporting 839 deaths on Sunday – the highest in more than five months – while hospitals and crematoria in some parts of the country are struggling with the deteriorating situation.
India’s count of more than 13.35 million cases is the third highest worldwide, behind only Brazil and the United States.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a four-day “Vaccination Festival” to push for more suitable Indians to get a COVID-19 shot.
“During this time, we must move towards an optimal utilization of the country’s vaccination capacity,” Modi said in an open letter.
The country has administered more than 100 million doses since mid-January, most to the United States and China.
But several Indian states have complained about a shortage of vaccines, despite the fact that immunization is currently limited to only about 400 million of India’s 1.35 billion people.
The second boom in infections, which spread much faster than the first one, which peaked in September, forced many states to curb new activities.
The administration in the western state of Maharashtra, where the financial capital Mumbai lives and has the most cases in the country, said it could possibly introduce additional measures after a close of the weekend which will end early on Monday.
“To break the COVID transmission chain, it is imperative that strict restrictions be imposed for a certain period of time,” Maharashtra Prime Minister Uddhav Thackeray said late on Saturday.
Authorities blamed the revival of the virus primarily for the crowd and reluctance to wear masks, even though massive election rallies and major religious rallies have continued in recent weeks.
Thousands of people gathered on Sunday on the banks of the Holy Ganges River in the northern city of Haridwar for morning prayers during the Kumbh Mela – where up to five million are expected in five days.
Authorities have made it mandatory for all people entering the area to do COVID-19 tests. But many devotees gathered without masks on Sunday along the river and stood in dense crowds.