India records over 400,000 COVID-19 cases in 24hrs

INDIA recorded over 400,000 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours for the first time as the pandemic soars in the country.

  A release from Indian Health Ministry shows that 401,993 new infections were registered to take the total caseload to 19.1 million with new 3,523 deaths that brings the total toll to 211,853.

  But experts believe that insufficient testing and inaccurate recording of cause of death may have hidden the real numbers which are much higher, because Indian authorities lowered their guard in the early part of the year after infections fell below 10,000 per day, lifting restrictions on most activity.

  Mass religious gatherings such as the Kumbh Mela, attracting millions of Hindu pilgrims, and political rallies were allowed to continue even when cases numbers began rising sharply in late March.

  It will be recalled that in April alone, India recorded around seven million new infections. On a per-capita basis however India’s caseload remains low compared to many others.