India on Wednesday reported 267 334 new coronavirus infections over the last 24 hours, while deaths rose by a record 4 529.
The South Asian nation’s tally stands at 25.5 million, with a death toll of 283 248, health ministry data showed.
On Tuesday, the country’s COVID-19 caseload surged past 25 million on Tuesday as a powerful cyclone complicated the health crisis in one of the states where the disease is spreading most quickly.
COVID-19 tests were administered to 200 000 people evacuated from coastal districts of the western state of Gujarat before the cyclone struck late on Monday and efforts were being made to try to limit any spread of infections.
The storm complicated efforts to tackle the coronavirus in the state as vaccinations were suspended for two days, while hospitals awaited back-up generators to keep power running and additional oxygen supplies.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said oxygen manufacturing and distribution were not disrupted. Out of the more than 1 400 hospitals designated for treating COVID-19, power failures were reported in 16, and restored in 12, while the remaining four moved to back-up generators.
