Coronavirus Updates: India Reports 4 Lakh New Covid Cases, 3,523 Deaths

India continued to report a record surge in Covid-19 infections, with Maharashtra remaining the epicentre of the crisis.

Over 4 lakh people tested positive for the virus in a 24-hour period, the highest number of fresh cases in any country in any day, according to the Health Ministry’s update as of 8 a.m. on May 1.

Active coronavirus infections in India crossed 32 lakh for the first time ever.

More than 3,400 patients succumbed to the illness for the third straight day, overwhelming the country’s crematoriums and burial grounds. That took the total death toll to 2.11 lakh.

Key Numbers

• Total confirmed cases: 1,91,64,969
• Total number of active cases: 32,68,710
• Total patients cured/discharged: 1,56,84,406
• Total deaths: 2,11,853
• Number of fresh cases in last 24 hours: 4,01,993
• One-day recoveries: 2,99,988
• One-day deaths: 3,523
• Total vaccine doses administered: 15,49,89,635

Maharashtra extended pandemic curbs by another two weeks as the state continues to battle the spread of the coronavirus. The existing restrictions on the movement of individuals and on business operations will now stay in effect till May 15, and will not expire on May 1 as earlier announced.

U.S. President Joe Biden banned most travel to the U.S. from India beginning Tuesday as the country struggles to combat the worst surge of coronavirus cases in the world. Passengers on airplanes, buses and other forms of mass transportation in the U.S. will have to keep wearing masks.

Australia will prohibit the entry of travellers who have been in India within 14 days of arriving from Monday. People found breaching the rule face as much as five years in jail, a fine, or both.

• Global Tracker: Cases near 151 million; deaths exceed 3.17 million
• Vaccine Tracker: More than 1.13 billion doses have been given

Track all global updates on Coronavirus here.