Coronavirus cases up from just around 600 to 1.81 lakh since first lockdown in India
Correspondent
NewsBits.in
NEW DELHI: Despite enforcing one of the toughest lockdowns in the world, the Coronavirus infections have spread at a staggering pace in India.
From just around 600 cases and 13 deaths on March 24-25th, the figure has now gone up to over 1,81,000 cases (so far).
The number of active cases is 89,000 and the figure of death is now 5,185. India now ranks in the list of ten countries that have most severely been affected by the pandemic.
Though the first Coronavirus case was detected in India on January 30, it took a long time before the lockdown was announced. It was one of the most strict lockdowns anywhere in the world--a complete shutdown. However, it has failed to check the soaring infections.
India is at ninth place, just behind France and Germany. In fact, it is heading fast in number of total cases that have been detected so far. USA is at the top with 1.8 million or 18 lakh cases, followed by Brazil, Russia, Spain, UK, Italy, France, Germany, India and Turkey.
The pace at which the number of cases is increasing, suggests that India may soon overtake even France and Germany, two countries that have been devastated due to the virus. However, in terms of deaths, India is at 13th place, still behind several other countries including Mexico, Canada, Netherlands and Belgium.
After a Janata curfew on March 22, the first lockdown was announced on March 24, 2020 in India. It was for 21 days. Later, it was extended in view of the rapid increase in cases. Transportation remained shut throughout the country and railways-air services remained closed.
The issue of migrant labourers, people walking hundreds of kilometres to reach their native places apart from hunger and unemployment has hit the headlines in the country as the lockdown continued. But the objective--stopping the Coronavirus infection from sreading further, has not been fulfilled.
