NEW DELHI: Under the onslaught of the second wave of coronavirus infection in India, over 10,000 fresh COVID-19 positive cases and 60 deaths per hour on average because of COVID-19 is being reported across the nation since Sunday, April 18. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, the total number of fresh cases reported in India stood at 72,330 as of April 1 this year, while 459 deaths in total were recorded owing to COVID-19 infection. On April 18, the total number of fresh COVID cases reported in India had jumped to over 2.75 lakh cases and 1620 deaths.
As of Monday, April 19, active case of SARS-CoV-2 infection had surpassed the 19-lakh mark in India. As per the Union Health Ministry, ten states in the nation are accounting for 82.74 per cent of the new deaths, where Maharashtra is reporting maximum number of casualties, followed by New Delhi.
Amidst the continuous surge of COVID-19 cases and deaths in India, several countries have started executing bans on travel to the country. The public health agency of the United States of America have issued a warning against visiting India even if they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. It has also placed India in the highest Level 4 category which implies “Very high level of COVID-19”. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has put India on the ‘red list’ hours after Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of Britain, cancelled his visit to India.