India records over 4,000 daily COVID-19 death

On May 9, 2021

India has recorded over 4,000 daily COVID-19 death for a second consecutive day as calls for a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the virus mounted.

The health ministry on Sunday, reported 4,092 fatalities over the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to 242,362.

New cases rose by 403,738, just shy of the record and increasing the total since the start of the pandemic to 22.3 million.

India has been hit hard by a second COVID-19 wave with cases and deaths hitting record highs every other day, with an acute shortage of oxygen and beds in many hospitals and morgues and crematoriums overflowing.

Experts have said the actual numbers for COVID-19 cases and fatalities could be far higher.

However, pressure is mounting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce a nationwide lockdown similar to the one imposed during the first wave last year.

Many Indian states have imposed strict lockdowns over the past month to stem the surge in infections while others have announced restrictions on public movement and shut down cinemas, restaurants, pubs and shopping malls.

Support has been pouring in from around the world in the form of oxygen cylinders and concentrators, ventilators and other medical equipment for overwhelmed hospitals.

Kamila/Reuters

COVID-19 India