Coronavirus: Russia currently has 4.93 lakh cases and Brazil 7.72 lakh. The US has the maximum number -- more than 20 lakh.
New Delhi: India
has now taken the fourth spot in the list of nations worst hit by Coronavirus.
The country logged 2,95,772 cases this evening, overtaking the UK, which was in
the fourth spot so far, with 2,91,588 cases. India is now preceded only by
Russia, Brazil and the US. Russia currently has 4.93 lakh cases and
Brazil 7.72 lakh. The US has the maximum number -- more than 20 lakh.
The
coronavirus numbers have been increasing exponentially since the May 24, when
India entered the list of top 10. It has just 18 days to reach the fourth slot.
On
the way it has left behind Italy and Spain, two of the nations badly hit by the
highly contagious virus, which surfaced in China's Wuhan in December and became
a global pandemic by March.
The
surge of cases in the country came amid the world's biggest lockdown. On March
25, when the lockdown was declared, the country had a little over 500 cases.
Ten people had died.
Over
the last weeks, the virus has been increasing exponentially, logging more than
9000 cases. The last 24 hours' increase, 9,996, was the highest ever. A total
of 8,102 patients have died so far -- a majority of them, 3.483, in
Maharashtra.
Maharashtra, the country's
biggest coronavirus hotspot, is about to touch the 1 lakh-mark with 97,648
cases. It is followed by Tamil Nadu and Delhi. The national capital has a total
of 34,687 cases.
The
numbers had progressively shot up as the Centre started a phased relaxation
from April, through the lockdown has been extended four times and is now in its
fifth phase that is slated to end on June 30.
But
buses, trains and domestic flights have started functioning and most offices,
markets, malls and even religious places are open, though they are allowed to
function only with the strictest security measures.
The virus had reached India
in January. The first case was detected in Kerala on January 30, the patient
was a student who was studying at the Wuhan University.
The
numbers started shooting up in March, pushing state after states to announce
restrictions days before the Centre announced the countrywide lockdown on March
25.