8,000 new cases in a day as India death toll surges

INDIA has reported more than 8,000 new cases of coronavirus in a single day – another record high in the country’s deadliest week.

Confirmed infections have risen to 182,143, with 5,164 fatalities – including 193 in 24 hours – the country’s health ministry said yesterday.

Meanwhile restrictions are slowly being relaxed, with the government announcing a phased plan from June that allows more economic activities.

Public health experts have criticised prime minister Narendra Modi’s handling of the outbreak, saying infections were rising exponentially despite the ‘draconian lockdown’ which began on March 25.

The Indian Public Health Association, Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine and Indian Association of Epidemiologists, told the PM when the lockdown began it was ‘unrealistic’ to eliminate the virus when ‘community transmission is already well-established’.