India suffers record new cases and fatalities, variant may be contributing factor

India reported a record daily death toll on Wednesday as total Covid-19 fatalities crossed the 200,000 mark.

Government data showed at least 3,293 people died over a 24-hour period. Overall cases also rose by a record 360,960 reported infections, marking India’s seventh consecutive day of over 300,000 new infections.

The country’s total number of Covid cases is just below 18 million while the death toll stands at 201,187. Recent media reports, however, suggest the daily fatality number may be underreported.

So far in April alone, the South Asian nation has reported more than 5.8 million new cases, sending the country’s health-care system to the brink.

The international community responded with promises to send India desperately needed aid. The United States said it would send raw materials required for the South Asian country to manufacture AstraZeneca’s vaccine.

India has so far administered more than 145 million vaccine doses, according to health ministry data. But, as of Tuesday, only around 23.9 million people have received their second doses. ...

Experts fear that a mutated variant of the coronavirus is responsible for the dramatic surge in cases during the second wave. Before the resurgence, India reported an average of around 10,000 new cases daily. ...

The Indian government faces mounting criticism for letting large crowds gather, mostly without masks, for religious festivals and election rallies in various parts of the country.

Last year’s better-than-expected handling of the first wave led to a sense of complacency within the political class and subsequent questionable decisions contributed to the surge, according to Akhil Bery, South Asia analyst at political risk consultancy Eurasia Group. ...

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