NEW DELHI (Reuters) – New COVID-19 cases in India hit a record 152,879 on Sunday as the country battled a second wave of infections, pushing for faster vaccinations, with some states considering tougher restrictions to slow the spread virus.
India leads the world in the average daily number of new infections reported, accounting for one in six infections reported globally every day, according to a Reuters report.
Daily cases hit record highs six times this week, according to the federal health ministry.
Deaths also rose, with the Federal Ministry of Health reporting 839 deaths on Sunday – the highest in five months – as hospitals and crematoria in parts of the country faced a worsening situation.
India’s number of more than 13.35 million cases is the third highest globally, behind only Brazil and the United States.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a four-day “Vaccination Festival” on Sunday to push more eligible Indians to get a COVID-19 blow.
“During this time we must move towards an optimal use of the country’s vaccination capacity,” Modi said in an open letter.
The country has administered more than 100 million doses since mid-January, mostly after the United States and China.
But several Indian states have complained about the lack of the vaccine, despite the fact that immunization is currently limited to only about 400 million of the 1.35 billion Indians.
The second wave of infections, which spread much faster than the first peaked in September, forced many states to impose fresh curves on activity.
The administration in western Maharashtra, which hosts the financial capital of Mumbai and has the highest number of cases in the country, said it could impose additional measures beyond the closure of a weekend that will end early Monday.
“In order to break the COVID transmission chain, it is imperative that strict restrictions be imposed for a certain period of time,” Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said late on Saturday.
Authorities blamed the reappearance of the virus mainly on congestion and reluctance to wear masks, even though massive election rallies and large religious gatherings have continued in recent weeks.
Thousands gathered on the banks of the holy river Ganges 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.
Authorities required all persons entering the area to take COVID-19 tests. But many devotees gathered on Sunday by the river without masks, sitting in dense crowds.