BENGALURU (INDIA) – India’s second wave of coronavirus infections continued as the country struck a record 115,736 new cases on Wednesday, data from the health ministry showed.
The total number of cases since the first recorded infection in India just over a year ago now remains 12.8 million, bringing it to the third position, as the worst hit country after the United State and Brazil.
Deaths rose by 630 – the most in four days – to 166,177.
Ominously, the daily increase has topped 100,000 twice this week. The only other country to post such numbers has been the United States.
“The pandemic isn’t over and there is no scope for complacency,” Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Twitter, urging people to get “vaccinated on your turn and follow COVID-appropriate behaviour scrupulously!”
India, the world’s biggest vaccine maker, has restricted its immunisation drive to front-line workers and people aged over 45 years.
States like Odisha have also expressed concerns over shortages of supplies even for the prioritised groups.
India has so far administered about 85 million doses to 75 million of its 1.35 billion people.