India’s coronavirus tally overtakes Brazil, records 168,912 on Monday

India reported a record daily tally of 168,912 COVID-19 infections on Monday, the world’s highest, while worries grew over a further spike, as hundreds of thousands of devotees gathered for a ritual bath in the Ganges river.

Monday’s new cases carried it past Brazil, for an overall tally of 13.53 million, placing it second after the United States, with 31.2 million.

A full opening of India’s economy after last year’s crippling lockdown, mass religious festivals and political rallies in states holding elections have worsened a second wave of infections.

In the northern city of Haridwar, nearly a million devotees thronged the banks of the Ganges, a river many Hindus consider holy, to join in the months-long ‘Kumbh Mela’ or pitcher festival, risking a surge in infections.

“The crowd here is surging…the police are continuously appealing to people to maintain social distancing,” police official Sanjay Gunjyal said.

Authorities have made virus tests mandatory for those entering the area, where officials said they were battling to hold back crowds.

A death toll of 904 overnight was the highest since Oct. 18, taking the total figure to 170,179, data showed.

MTO/Reuters