Covid-19 surge continues in India as infections spread to rural areas
(dpa)
New Delhi (dpa) – India’s Covid-19 caseload continued to surge on Wednesday, with the Health Ministry reporting 78,357 new infections mostly outside of Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi - the main coronavirus hubs in the South Asian country.
Health experts in India have expressed concern that the return of migrant workers from urban centres to their homes in rural areas would lead to outbreaks in locations where health infrastructure is poor.
In the western state of Maharashtra, which has reported the highest number of cases by state, there was a more than 500-per-cent spike in infections in August in five largely rural districts, data from the state government showed.
At least a third of the 3,219 infections reported since Tuesday in the eastern state of Odisha were from just two rural districts.
India has the world’s third-largest caseload, with nearly 3.8 million cases.
With record increases of more than 70,000 infections daily for the past week, the country looks set to overtake Brazil to become the second-most impacted country after the United States.
Health Ministry data showed that 54 per cent of cases nationwide were in the 18-to-44 age group, while 51 per cent of deaths were among senior citizens.
The ministry reported 1,045 fatalities on Tuesday, taking the total death toll to 66,333.
In the western state of Maharashtra, which has reported the highest number of cases by state, there was a more than 500-per-cent spike in infections in August in five largely rural districts, data from the state government showed.
At least a third of the 3,219 infections reported since Tuesday in the eastern state of Odisha were from just two rural districts.
India has the world’s third-largest caseload, with nearly 3.8 million cases.
With record increases of more than 70,000 infections daily for the past week, the country looks set to overtake Brazil to become the second-most impacted country after the United States.
Health Ministry data showed that 54 per cent of cases nationwide were in the 18-to-44 age group, while 51 per cent of deaths were among senior citizens.
The ministry reported 1,045 fatalities on Tuesday, taking the total death toll to 66,333.