Coronavirus has been surging in India since the first cases and deaths were reported nearly six months ago.
On Sunday, the Asian country set a world record for most cases reported in one day, 78,761, to total 3,542,733 infections, only behind the United States with more than 6 million and Brazil with nearly 4 million. Four previous times in the past week the nation exceeded 70,000 cases.
India also reported 948 new deaths on Sunday -- following a record 1,120 on July 20 -- ranking fourth in total deaths with 63,498 and trailing Mexico by just 321 fatalities so far Sunday, according to tracking by Johns Hopkins.
Meanwhile, the United States leads the world with 182,909 deaths followed by Brazil with 120,462. Total cases globally have passed 25 million with a total of 25,068,606. Deaths were 843,826.
In the past three months, the pandemic has accelerated in India. The death toll reached 5,608 on June 1, after the first death was announced on March 12, according to tracking by Worldometers.info. The first three cases were announced on March 2 and the case total rose to 227,476 by June 1.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people to exercise care during the coming festivity season.
"This is a time for festivals but there is a sense of discipline among people due to COVID," Modi said during his monthly radio address. "The coronavirus will be defeated only if you follow safety measures. The 2 meter distance norm [6.5 feet] should be strictly followed."
Although deaths have surged, the nation of 1.38 billion people, the second most populous in the world, has a relatively low mortality rate of 46 deaths per million population compared to the world total of 108.7. The rate is 564 in the United States, 66 in Brazil and 494 in Mexico.
But testing has been lagging in India. The nation ranks third in the world with 41.4 million tests but that rate is only 29,997 per million compared with the U.S. with 244,798 per million with 81.1 million total tests.
China, the original epicenter and the world's most populous nation with 1.44 billion, has a world-high 90.4 million tests at 62,814 per million.
In India, two cricket players and 11 staff members in the Indian Premier League have tested positive for coronavirus, according to a statement issued Saturday by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. All of them are asymptomatic and have been isolated from other team members.
"Upon landing in the UAE [United Arab Emirates], all the participants have followed a mandatory testing and quarantine program. Total of 1,988 RT-PCR COVID tests were carried out between August 20th-28th across all participant groups in the UAE," the statement read.
On Sunday, India reported 958 of the total 1,522 total deaths in Asia. In all, the continent had 141,156 deaths.
Iran is the only other Asian county in the top 10 for deaths, adding 103 for a total of 21,462 in 10th place.
China has dropped to 29th in deaths and hasn't reported a death since late April. The case increase was nine.
Deaths and cases have been surging in Japan. On Saturday, the nation reported 17 deaths, for a total death toll of 1,255. The new deaths match the number two days earlier and is just short of its largest total since 19 on May 22. It cases were 850.
Japan also reported 85 new cases for a total of 67,952.
Despite the spiking number, the Japanese government said Friday it will lift coronavirus-related re-entry restrictions on foreign residents on Sept. 1. It increased testing capacity at airports. Around 2.4 million foreigners in Japan with resident status can now leave Japan and be allowed back in.
South Korea reported two deaths for a total of 323, and 299 cases to total 19,699. It was the 17th consecutive day of triple-digit daily increases.
Seoul officials enacted a "10 Million Citizen Standstill Week" from Sunday to next Sunday, urging people to stay away from social gatherings, as 203 cases were reported in the area. There are restriction on business hours of restaurants, bakeries and franchise cafes in Seoul and the broader capital areas for one week.
The pandemic continues to surge in South America with 1,581 deaths reported Saturday and a total of 199,959 total.
Brazil reported 904 deaths Saturday for a total of 120,498. Peru is in ninth place with 28,607, including 136 Saturday. Colombia is in 11th place at 19,064, adding 297 Saturday. And Chile is 14th with 11,181, gaining 49.
Foreign travel is now allowed in Fernando de Noronha archipelago off the coast of Brazil if people have shown they have had COVID-19.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
