India sees worst COVID-19 increase as western state battles surge

MUMBAI (Reuters), 11 March, 2021 -India reported its worst single-day increase in COVID-19 cases since late December on Thursday, as the western state of Maharashtra battled a fresh wave of infections and imposed a lockdown in one of its most densely populated cities.  A total of 22,854 new coronavirus cases were reported in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said. It was the highest daily rise since Dec. 25, according to a Reuters tally.

Deaths rose by 126 to reach 158,129. Fatalities have been rising by a daily average of roughly 100 since early February.  India’s overall caseload of 11.3 million - the world’s biggest outside the United States - had been falling steadily since a peak in late September, but increased public gatherings and travel are causing a spurt at a time when a majority of Indians have yet to be vaccinated.

Fresh outbreaks in Maharashtra forced officials to announce a lockdown - including a curfew and an order to shut most offices and shops - in the commercial and logistics hub of Nagpur from March 15-21.