India has climbed to 7th from 9th spot among 10 nations worst-hit by coronavirus.
Highlights
- The country recorded over 1.8 lakh cases till Sunday night
- A record single-day jump of 8,380 new patients was reported on Sunday
- Number of total deaths linked to COVID-19 crossed the 5,000-mark
With over 1.88 lakh cases of coronavirus, India has reported more cases than France's marginally lower 1,88,752 and climbed to seventh from the ninth spot in the list of 10 nations worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The country recorded 1,88,883 coronavirus cases till Sunday night.
The US has so far reported over 18 lakh cases of coronavirus, making it the nation with the most number of cases. Brazil follows with over five lakh cases, and Russia with over four lakh cases.
A record single-day jump of 8,380 new patients was reported in the 24 hours till Sunday morning.
The number of total deaths linked to the highly infectious illness crossed the 5,000-mark after 193 patients died in the 24 hours till Sunday morning, government data shows.
This is the first time that the number of coronavirus cases in India crossed the 8,000-mark in a single day.
The country - now seventh worst-hit due to the pandemic - has been registering record spikes for the last three days. The sharp rise in cases comes as India prepares to re-open in a phased-manner after nearly two months of lockdown to tackle the pandemic.
The government on Saturday extended the lockdown till June 30 as it revealed a phased plan to unlock India. Malls, hotels, restaurants and places of worship can open on June 8 except in containment zones, the areas with the most number of coronavirus cases.
Restrictions have been removed on movement of people and goods between states. Night curfew will stay, but timings will be changed to 9 pm-5am from the existing 7 pm-7am. Cinemas, schools and international flights will reopen after an assessment in the next few weeks.
As the virus progresses at different speeds around the globe, there has been pressure in many countries to lift crippling lockdowns, despite experts' warnings of a possible second wave of infections.
In Britain, which is set to begin lifting its lockdown on Monday, senior advisors to the government warned that it was moving too quickly, news agency AFP reported.
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, who fears the economic fallout from stay-at-home measures will be worse than the virus, has berated governors and mayors for imposing what he calls "the tyranny of total quarantine."