India logs over 4,000 new Covid deaths for second day in a row; over 4 lakh new infections

India on Sunday logged more than 4,000 coronavirus deaths over 24 hours for the second day in a row. Meanwhile, 4,03,738 more infections were recorded.

This is the fifth time that the country saw a single-day rise of over 4 lakh new Covid-19 cases.

India now has 37,36,648 active cases as more states imposed lockdowns in a desperate bid to halt the devastating new surge.

The caseload stands at 2,22,96,414 — second only to the United States.

The 4,092 new deaths took India's overall toll to 2,42,362 since the pandemic started.

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. The government, stung by criticism of its handling of the new crisis, has largely left individual state administrations to handle pandemic clampdowns.

The fatality rate, as on Friday, stood at 1.09 per cent.

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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.

So far, 1,83,17,404 recuperated from the disease in India. The rate of recoveries is 82.15 per cent.

India has been hit hard by a second Covid-19 wave with cases and deaths hitting record highs every other day. With an acute shortage of oxygen and beds in many hospitals and morgues and crematoriums overflowing, experts have said the actual numbers for Covid-19 cases and fatalities could be far higher.

Many Indian states have imposed strict lockdowns over the past month to stem the surge in infections while others have announced restrictions on public movement and shut down cinemas, restaurants, pubs and shopping malls.

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India on Saturday reported its highest ever single-day Covid-19 death toll of 4,187 fatalities. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates that India will see 10 lakh Covid-19 deaths by August.

Support has been pouring in from around the world in the form of oxygen cylinders and concentrators, ventilators and other medical equipment for overwhelmed hospitals

(With agency inputs)