New COVID-19 cases in India have surged to a record of 152,879 as the country battles a second wave of infections by pushing for faster vaccinations, with some states considering tougher restrictions to slow the spread of the virus.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
India leads the world in the daily average number of new infections reported, accounting for one in every six cases reported globally each day.
Daily infections have set record highs six times this week, according to data from the federal health ministry.
Deaths have also surged, with the ministry reporting 839 fatalities on Sunday - the highest in more than five months - as hospitals and crematoriums in some parts of the country grapple with the worsening situation.
India's tally of more than 13.35 million cases is the third-highest globally, behind only Brazil and the United States.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a four-day 'vaccination festival' to push more eligible Indians to get a COVID-19 shot.
"During this time we have to move towards optimum utilisation of the country's vaccination capacity," Modi said in an open letter.
The country has administered more than 100 million doses since the middle of January, the most after the United States and China.
But several Indian states have complained of a vaccine shortage, despite immunisation being currently restricted to about 400 million of India's 1.35 billion people.
The second surge in infections, which has spread much more rapidly than the first one that peaked in September, has forced many states to impose fresh curbs on activity.
The administration in western Maharashtra state, which is home to the financial capital Mumbai and has the highest number of cases in the country, said it may impose additional measures beyond a weekend lockdown that will end early on Monday.
"To break the COVID transmission chain, it is imperative that strict restrictions must be imposed," Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said.
Authorities have blamed the resurgence of the virus mainly on crowding and a reluctance to wear masks, even as massive election rallies and large religious gatherings have continued in recent weeks.
Thousands of people thronged the banks of the holy Ganges River in the northern city of Haridwar on Sunday for morning prayers during the Kumbh Mela - where up to five million are expected on certain days.
Australian Associated Press
