New Delhi, Oct 29 (AFP/APP): India passed eight million coronavirus cases on Thursday, with the world’s second-worst-hit country bracing for a new wave of the pandemic.
There have also been more than 120,000 deaths across the country of 1.3 billion people, according to the latest government figures. Only the United States has seen more infections, with 9.1 million confirmed cases and nearly 230,000 deaths. Indian authorities are preparing for a new surge after Diwali, the country’s most important religious festival on November 14. Textiles Minister Smriti Irani has become the latest of several cabinet members to test positive.
“All states need to be careful during the coming festive season. This caution must be exercised for the next three months at least”, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said in a recent statement.
A stringent lockdown imposed in March has gradually been eased as the government seeks to reboot the economy after the loss of millions of jobs nationwide. But experts say this has helped spread the disease. New Delhi recorded 5,000 new cases on Wednesday, its highest daily figure since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Officials have warned that the capital could see more than 10,000 cases a day in the next wave.
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