India records 4,000 coronavirus deaths in one day for first time and peak may still be weeks away

While the situation in New Delhi and Mumbai has stabilised, coronavirus is now spreading fast in southern states and rural areas

Meanwhile, India’s economy is still reeling from last year’s pandemic-induced recession and poorest workers are braced to bear the brunt

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India health workers wearing personal protective equipment tend to a Covid-19 patient at a hospital in Moradabad. Photo: AFP

Published: 12:51pm, 8 May 2021Updated: 6:38pm, 8 May 2021

India recorded more than 4,000 coronavirus deaths in a day for the first time, the government said on Saturday.

The 4,187 new deaths took India’s overall toll to 238,270 since the pandemic started. It added another 401,078 new cases in 24 hours taking its caseload to nearly 21.9 million.

Experts, who have expressed doubts about the official death toll, say India may not hit a peak in its current surge until the end of May.

While the situation in major cities New Delhi and Mumbai is now stabilising, with extra supplies of oxygen being sent and new hospital beds opened up, coronavirus is now spreading fast in southern states and rural areas.

Karnataka, which includes the major IT hub of Bangalore, has ordered a statewide two-week lockdown from Monday in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.

Bangalore, which saw 1,907 coronavirus deaths in April, has recorded more than 950 just in the first seven days of May.

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