Surpassing Spain, India takes fifth spot on tally of worst-hit by coronavirus

New Delhi : The number of coronavirus cases in India is surging dramatically with almost 10 thousand cases being reported daily. In a latest update, the nation has surpassed Spain to take the fifth spot on a tally of countries worst-hit by coronavirus.

India now have around 2,44,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, while Spain had 2,40,978 cases. Now, only United States, United Kingdon, Russia and Brazil have more cases than India.

On Saturday morning, the health ministry data said India reported 9,887 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours in the biggest one-day spike so far. The recovery rate in India stands at 48.20 percent. The number of deaths reported in the last 24 hours is 294, taking the total in India to 6,642.

At least 19 states now have their tallies of confirmed cases in four or more digits, as against just nine on May 1. Also, three states now have five-digit tallies, as against only Maharashtra in that category on May 1.

While Delhi and Gujarat already have their tallies running into five digits, at least three other states - Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh - have total confirmed cases of more than 9,000.

Last month, the government had announced an extension of lockdown till June 30 with ease in economic activities. Malls, hotels, restaurants and places of worship can open on June 8 except in containment zones, the areas with the most number of coronavirus cases.

Restrictions were removed on movement of people and goods between states. Night curfew stayed, but the timings were changed to 9 pm-5am from the existing 7 pm-7am.