The COVID-19 death toll in India surpassed the 258 000 mark after another 4 120 deaths were recorded in a 24-hours period.
The total number of infections has risen to 23.7 million. Experts believe the actual numbers could be five to ten times higher than the official estimates.
Around 4 000 deaths are being registered each day in India.
There are so many deaths that cremation centres remain overwhelmed.
The bodies have been put in the rivers by family members after some towns ran out of wards to keep the cremation going.
Lack of supplies continues to worsen the situation.
WHO launches a donation campaign to aid India’s COVID-19 response
In a report published on Wednesday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the B.1.617 variant, first identified in India, had been detected in at least 44 countries so far.
The global health body has classified it as a “variant of concern” that requires heightened tracking and analysis.
Vaccines are also running short, especially in Maharashtra state around the financial centre of Mumbai, and in the capital, Delhi, two of India’s hardest-hit regions.
India’s second wave of the pandemic has increased calls for a nationwide lockdown and prompted more states to impose tougher restrictions that have hurt businesses and the wider economy.
In the video below, a report on India’s battle with COVID-19:
