Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India's Covid-19 deaths hit record high, data hints at runaway virus spread

India's Covid-19 deaths hit record high, data hints at runaway virus spread

NEARLY two-thirds of people tested in India have shown exposure to the coronavirus, a chain of private laboratories said on Wednesday (19), indicating a runaway spread of the virus as the daily death toll rose to a record 4,529.

India reported 267,334 new daily infections on Wednesday (19), taking its tally to 25.5 million, with a death toll of 283,248, health ministry data showed.


For months, nowhere in the world has been hit harder than India by the pandemic, as a new variant found there fuelled a surge of up to more than 400,000 new infections a day.

Only the United States has had more cases, or a worse single day death toll, when it lost 5,444 people on Feb. 12, a Reuters tracker shows.

But even with a downturn in the number of new cases in India over the past few days, if not in deaths, experts said there was no certainty that infections had peaked.

It is widely accepted that the official figures grossly underestimate the real impact of the pandemic, with some experts saying infections and deaths could be five to 10 times higher.

There are fears that the new, highly infectious variant is out of control and that many cases are going unreported because of lack of testing, particularly in the vast countryside.

Data from Thyrocare, a chain of private laboratories, appeared to back up those fears, showing that 63.5 per cent of people tested positive for Covid-19 antibodies on average over the last seven days, up from 45 per cent a month ago.

The data from 25 states included individuals who were infected in the past, vaccinated, uninfected and those who had not been vaccinated, the company's chief executive Arokiaswamy Velumani said on Twitter.

Modi's popularity

Daily testing hit a record 2 million on Tuesday (18), figures from the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research showed.

India performed 224 tests for every 1,000 of its population in a single day this month, according to estimates by research firm GlobalData. This compared with 1,307 tests per 1,000 of population in the United States on the same day, the firm said.

Meanwhile, prime minister Narendra Modi's popularity has fallen to 63 per cent, its lowest since US data intelligence firm Morning Consult began tracking it in 2019, amid criticism of his government's handling of the pandemic.

In the last few weeks due to the surge in cases, hospitals have had to turn patients away while mortuaries and crematoriums have been unable to cope with bodies piling up.

Photographs and television images of funeral pyres burning in parking lots and corpses washing up on the banks of the Ganges river have fuelled impatience with the government's handling of the crisis.

India is the world's largest vaccine maker, but criticism has also mounted over a slow vaccination campaign, plagued by a lack of supplies.

The government said about 98 per cent of the population of 1.3 billion remained susceptible to infections.

India halted vaccine exports a month ago after donating or selling more than 66 million doses, and government sources told Reuters it was unlikely to resume major exports of vaccines until at least October, as it prioritises domestic needs.

More For You

AP Dhillon

From dropping beats to dropping jaws—AP Dhillon steals the show at Chanel in Paris

AP Dhillon owns the spotlight: From Brown Munde to Chanel’s front row in Paris

From selling out arenas to sitting front row at Chanel’s Paris Fashion Week show, the Punjabi rap superstar is moving in spaces once reserved for fashion’s elite. And he’s doing it with the same effortless swagger that made him a household name across South Asia and now, Europe.

AP Dhillon brings his signature style to Chanel’s front row

Keep ReadingShow less
NHS Greenlights New Daily Pill for Endometriosis Relief

This new pill can be taken at home

iStock

NHS approves new daily pill for endometriosis treatment in the UK

A new daily pill, relugolix-estradiol-norethisterone, designed to treat endometriosis, has been approved for use across England’s NHS. This medication provides a convenient and effective alternative to traditional treatments, offering relief for women suffering from this painful condition.

A Breakthrough in Endometriosis Care

Keep ReadingShow less
budget friendly spring destinations

Lock in affordable trips and avoid inflated prices

iStock

Top 7 budget-friendly spring destinations for 2025

With spring break just around the corner, it's time to lock in affordable trips and avoid inflated prices. Booking three weeks to a month in advance can help secure the best deals. Spring 2025 is shaping up to be a great time for travel, with airfares for international trips down by 3% and hotel rates decreasing by 2%, making it easier than ever to plan a memorable trip without breaking the bank. Here are seven top destinations to explore on a budget this spring.

1. Big Bear, California

Big Bear Lake, CaliforniaiStock

Keep ReadingShow less
slushies

Slushy drinks attract young children with their bright colours and taste

istock

Doctors urge children under 8 to avoid slushies due to glycerol risks

Children’s love for brightly coloured, sweet beverages, such as slushy ice drinks, may come with hidden dangers, according to new research that highlights the risks posed by glycerol, a common ingredient in these products. Doctors are now urging that children under eight should completely avoid slushy drinks that contain glycerol, as they may cause serious health issues, including loss of consciousness and shock.

The call for revised health advice comes in response to a recent study conducted by paediatricians in the UK and Ireland. The research, published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, examined 21 cases of children aged between two and seven who required emergency treatment shortly after drinking glycerol-containing slushies. These cases, all from 2018 to 2024, involved children who became acutely ill within an hour of consuming the drinks.

Keep ReadingShow less
Naomi Watts Cheers as Daughter Kai Makes Debut at Paris Fashion Week

Kai made her runway debut at Paris Fashion Week

Instagram/ naomiwatts

Naomi Watts celebrates as daughter Kai makes stunning runway debut at Paris Fashion Week

Naomi Watts, the acclaimed British-Australian actress, has long been a fixture in Hollywood, known for her captivating performances in films like The Impossible and Mulholland Drive. But this week, it was her 16-year-old daughter, Kai Schreiber, who stole the spotlight. Kai made her runway debut at Paris Fashion Week, walking for the prestigious fashion house Valentino, and Naomi couldn’t have been prouder.

A star-studded debut

Kai’s debut on the Valentino catwalk was nothing short of spectacular. Dressed in a knit snakeskin mini dress with a dramatic feathered collar, the young model exuded confidence and elegance. The ensemble was completed with a beige headband, Havana sunglasses featuring blue lenses, white lace stockings, and matching sandals adorned with a rose strap. The look was bold, sophisticated, and perfectly suited to the high-fashion atmosphere of Paris Fashion Week.

Keep ReadingShow less