In Pictures

In Pictures: Coronavirus cases hit a new high in India

Nearly 20,000 new infections reported – a jump of 100,000 cases in a week – in the world’s fourth worst-hit country.

Relatives wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) perform the last rights to a person who died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at a graveyard in New Delhi, India, June 27, 2020. REUTERS/A — Relatives perform the last rights of a person who died from the coronavirus disease at a graveyard in New Delhi. [Adnan Abidi/Reuters]

India has reported a new daily record of nearly 20,000 new infections as several Indian states reimpose partial or full lockdowns to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

India’s health ministry recorded 548,318 COVID-19 cases as of Monday, a jump of nearly 100,000 cases in a week in the world’s fourth worst-hit country after the United States, Brazil and Russia.

The South Asian country’s death toll has reached 16,475, while 321,723 patients have recovered from the disease.

The pandemic is not expected to peak in India for several more weeks and experts say the number of cases could pass one million before the end of July.

The Indian government has been criticised for not conducting enough coronavirus tests that experts say is hiding the true number of cases in the country.

The capital district of the northeastern state of Assam on the Bangladesh border has reimposed a full lockdown until July 12 following a spike in cases.

Another border state, West Bengal, has extended its lockdown until July 31.

However, in India’s worst-affected states – Maharashtra which includes the financial hub of Mumbai, and Delhi, home to the federal capital of New Delhi – most of the lockdown restrictions have been eased.

Relatives wearing protective gear mourn a man who died due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at a crematorium in New Delhi, India, June 28, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi — People mourn a man who died due to the COVID-19 disease at a crematorium in New Delhi. [Adnan Abidi/Reuters]

An Indian government school teacher takes a survey at a residential neighbourhood in New Delhi, India, Saturday, June 27, 2020. A massive survey to take down health details of New Delhi''s entire popul — A government school teacher takes a survey at a residential neighbourhood in New Delhi, the worst hit city in India. A massive survey to take down health details of the capital city's entire population of 22 million and test everyone with symptoms for COVID-19 started last week. [Manish Swarup/AP Photo]

Health workers carry the body of a man who died due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) for his cremation, at a crematorium in New Delhi, India June 28, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi — Health workers carry the body of a man at a crematorium in New Delhi. [Adnan Abidi/Reuters]

A healthcare worker wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) walks in an alley of a slum area during a check-up camp for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mumbai, India June 27, 2020. REUTERS/F — A healthcare worker walks in an alley of a slum during a check-up for the coronavirus disease in Mumbai. [Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters]

A general view of a slum area, some of which are containment zones, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, June 28, 2020. India is the fourth hardest-hit country by the COVID-19 pandemic in the world after the U.S — India is the fourth worst-hit country by the COVID-19 pandemic in the world after the United States, Russia and Brazil. [Rafiq Maqbool/AP Photo]

A woman covers her face as she walks past health workers arriving to administer a free medical checkup in a slum in Mumbai, India, Sunday, June 28, 2020. India is the fourth hardest-hit country by the — A woman covers her face as she walks past healthcare workers arriving to administer free medical check-ups in a slum in Mumbai. [Rafiq Maqbool/AP Photo]

A healthcare worker measures the pulse of a resident during a check-up camp for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India June 28, 2020. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas — A health worker measures the pulse of a resident during a check-up for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mumbai. [Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters]

A priest wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) prays over the coffin of a person who died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during a funeral at a cemetery in Mumbai, India June 27, 2020. R — A priest prays over the coffin of a person who died from the COVID-19 disease during a funeral at a cemetery in Mumbai. [Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters]