India has reported the biggest increase in coronavirus cases since 2020, as several states bring back some restrictions on public meetings.
As the Associated Press reports, India’s Ministry of Health registered 43,846 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, marking the worst single-day increase since November last year.
More than half of the new infections are found in the central state of Maharashtra, where Mumbai, India’s financial capital, is located. Maharashtra imposed new blocking measures by the end of March, reports from the AP and the Mumbai authorities have announced that they will begin administering random coronavirus tests required in crowded spaces.
Seven other states are reporting large outbreaks of cases, reports the AP, leading some to impose specific blockages on restaurants and schools.
According to health experts, the increase is being fueled by growing public meetings and relaxed attitudes towards public health guidance.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), India confirmed 11.6 million cases of coronavirus, ranking third in the world, behind the United States and Brazil, and almost 160 thousand deaths. The country has also administered nearly 35 million doses of coronavirus vaccine.
In India, the coronavirus vaccines from AstraZeneca and COVAXIN have been approved for use. The COVAXIN injection was approved before the efficacy data was released. As the BBC reports, the phase three studies found that it has an 81 percent effectiveness rate in stopping COVID-19.