India records highest single-day spike in Covid-19 deaths, surpasses China toll

China reported no new confirmed coronavirus cases in the mainland on May 28, down from two a day earlier.

India on Friday surpassed the Covid-19 death toll of China, where the outbreak was first reported in December last year. India recorded 175 deaths from coronavirus disease in the last 24 hours (between Thursday and Friday).

People wear protective masks as they cross a street following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Beijing, China on May 28. (Reuters Photo)

According to Union health ministry update at 8 am on Friday, the coronavirus disease has killed 4,706 people in India. This is more than China, where the toll is 4,634, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

While China was the first country to report disease last December and recorded over 84,000 total cases so far, India that reported its first case in January end, now has 1,65,799 cases that is more than Turkey’s (1,60,979).

The only good news for India is that the health ministry has said that the country’s recovery rate is 42.88 per cent. More than 70,000 people (71,105 to be exact) of the patients have been cured and sent back home, as per the health ministry.

Delhi and Tamil Nadu showed jump of around 1,000 cases. Tamil Nadu now has 19,372 and Delhi 16,281 cases.

Gujarat reported 15,562 cases, Rajasthan 8,067, Madhya Pradesh 7,453 and Uttar Pradesh 7,170.

Other States and union territories have also reported steady increase and West Bengal now has 4,536 cases, Telangana (2,256), Punjab (2,158), Jammu and Kashmir (2,036), Bihar (3,296) and Andhra Pradesh(3,251).

India is currently in the fourth phase of lockdown which is till May 31. Cases spiked at record rate during the lockdown 4.0 that allowed much relaxation.

China, meanwhile, reported no new confirmed coronavirus cases in the mainland on May 28, down from two a day earlier, the country’s health authority said on Friday.