India records 4,522 deaths — the most in one day for any country

NEW DELHI: More than 4,500 more people lost their lives to Covid-19, the highest number of deaths in a single day for any country during the pandemic, data compiled from across the country on Tuesday showed.

The 4,522 fatalities recorded in the most recent 24-hour period surpass the record of 4,468 deaths in the US on January 12. Brazil, the third hardest hit country in the world, recorded 4,211 deaths in a single day on April 6.

The second wave of infections is ebbing but experts have said there is likely to now be a spurt in fatalities as people who have been battling for their life from when the cases hit a peak begin to either recover or succumb after prolonged critical care stay.

From peaks recorded on May 9, the average number of new cases has decreased by 21% and the test positivity rate – the proportion of samples testing positive in a day – has declined by around 5% percentage points.

Although the accuracy of true case and death reporting has varied across states, Maharashtra accounts for close to 84,000 deaths, with Karnataka reporting the next highest numbers at 22,857. The national capital, with 22,111 deaths, has recorded the third highest number of fatalities.