India’s coronavirus case count surpassed 6 million on Monday after it reported 82,170 new infections in the past 24 hours as the pandemic spreads across the vast South Asian nation.
With 6.1 million infections according to the Ministry of Health, India is on track to surpass the United States in the coming weeks as the country with the most cases.
Deaths from COVID-19 increased by 1,039 in the last 24 hours to 95,542, the ministry said, representing 1.6 percent of all infections.
The nation of 1.3 billion people is home to some of the most densely populated cities in the world and was long expected to record a large number of COVID-19 cases.
India has been adding 80,000 to 90,000 new infections every day since it began reporting the world’s highest daily increases since late August.
The infection is well established in the community.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called on people to continue wearing face covers when venturing out of their homes.
“These rules are weapons in the war against the crown. They are powerful tools to save the lives of all citizens, ”Modi said in her monthly radio address.
The virus initially affected large metropolises, including the financial center of Mumbai and the national capital, New Delhi, but has since spread to provincial and rural areas where health systems are fragile and uneven.
Despite the continuing progression of the disease, the government is unlikely to reimpose the blockade it has gradually lifted, after harsh restrictions hit the economy and ruined the livelihoods of millions of people, especially the poor.
Some schools have reopened and trains, subways, domestic flights, markets and restaurants have been able to operate with restrictions.
‘Part of our lives’
Anand Krishnan, a professor of community medicine at the Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, said the focus should be on treating people who contract the virus.
The virus initially affected large metropolises, but has since spread to rural areas. [Adnan Abidi/Reuters]
“The infection is well established in the community,” he told the AFP news agency.
“The only thing we can do is take care of sick people, identify them faster and treat them better. And follow the rules of social distancing. Beyond that, I don’t think anything specific can be done. “
Some residents AFP spoke to in Delhi said that while they remained cautious, their fears about the pandemic had lessened since the beginning earlier this year.
“I am away from home all day for my work. I don’t leave home for anything else, ”said Umang Chutani, a 23-year-old medical store worker.
“The future is uncertain, but one can only be cautious and follow all security protocols.”
Himanshu Kainthola, 61, who recovered from the virus last month after testing positive with two other family members, said his family’s fears “have been reduced substantially.”
“We have made peace with that. We take the necessary precautions and invest in boosting our immunity instead of feeling anxious or fearful. “
Santosh, a creative writing student, added that the virus is now “part of our lives.”
“You cannot close all the businesses, because the economy cannot collapse … COVID-19 is not going to pay the rent,” he told AFP.
