7 Sep 2020

Covid-19: India overtakes Brazil as country second-worst hit

7:25 pm on 7 September 2020

India's coronavirus infections have surged past 4.2 million as it overtakes Brazil to become the country with the second-highest number of cases.

Medical staff taking a swab sample from a man at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital in New Delhi on 31 July.

Medical staff taking a swab sample from a man at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital in New Delhi. Photo: AFP

With 4.2 million infections, India is nearly 70,000 cases ahead of Brazil, which will post its most recent numbers later on Monday.

India, with a daily record 90,802 cases on Monday, also has the fastest-growing case load. The United States, with more than 6 million cases, remains the worst-affected country.

Deaths in India have been relatively low so far, but it has posted more than 1000 deaths for each of the last five days.

On Monday, India's health ministry said 1016 people died of Covid-19, taking total mortalities to 71,642.

- Reuters