India coronavirus cases pass 6m in eight months; global death toll crosses 1m

IN A span of just eight months the coronavirus cases in the world's second most populous country has hit six million mark.

India on Monday (28) reported 82,000 new cases taking the total to 6.1 million and closing the gap on the US, which has recorded 7.1 million infections.

The country, with a population of 1.3 billion, reported its first Covid-19 infection on January 30.

More than one million people have died from coronavirus across the globe after the deadly disease emerged less than a year ago in China.

The US has the highest death toll with more than 200,000 fatalities followed by Brazil, India, Mexico and Britain.

The total number of infections stand at 33,018,877.

India has been reporting around 90,000 new cases daily, the highest in the world, for several weeks.

India has a much lower death rate than other worst-hit nations with almost 100,000 fatalities so far -- fewer than half the grisly toll of 205,000 recorded in the US. Brazil has meanwhile recorded 140,000 deaths.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on people to keep wearing face coverings when they ventured outside of their homes.

"These rules are weapons in the war against corona. They are potent tools to save the life of every citizen," Modi said during his monthly radio address on Sunday(27).

The government is unlikely to reimpose major restrictions after a lockdown in March battered the economy and wrecked the livelihoods of millions of people, particularly the poor.

Some schools have now reopened, and trains, metros, domestic flights, markets and restaurants have been allowed to operate with some restrictions. The Taj Mahal also opened again for tourists this month