New Delhi
India’s capital has reserved hospital beds for residents as the country again recorded a record spike in coronavirus cases and the sick flocked in from the provinces.
The world’s second most populous nation on Sunday announced close to 10,000 new infections, while neighbouring Pakistan passed 2,000 deaths.
The sharp acceleration in the neighbouring countries has added to fears that a region that is home to a fifth of humanity is becoming a new hotspot for Covid-19.
The mounting figures in South Asia’s neighbours heightened concerns among international health officials that the region is poised to become a new hotspot for the pandemic.
Both countries are easing months of restrictions on commerce, travel and gatherings, just as cases and deaths are gathering speed.
India reported 9,971 new coronavirus cases Sunday in another biggest single-day surge, a day before it prepares to reopen shopping malls, hotels and religious places after a 10-week lockdown.
India has now passed Spain as the fifth hardest-hit by the pandemic with 246,628 confirmed cases and 6,929 fatalities.
The worst affected cities have included the capital, New Delhi, the commercial capital, Mumbai, as well as the Western city of Ahmedabad.—AP
