New Jump In India And Warning Cases Could Double

(AP)-A surge of 34,884 new coronavirus cases has taken India’s tally to 1,038,716, as local governments continue to reimpose focused lockdowns in several parts of the country. The Health Ministry on Saturday also reported 671 deaths in the past 24 hours for a total of 26,273. The ministry says the recovery rate has slightly come down to 62.9%. About a dozen states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam, have put high-risk areas under lockdowns, only allowing essential food supplies and health services. Rahul Gandhi, leader of the main opposition Congress party, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take concrete steps to contain the pandemic. He warned that the number of infections will double to 2 million by Aug. 10 at the current pace.