India COVID-19 death toll rises to 2,872 as total cases cross 90,000-mark

Xinhua | Updated: 2020-05-17 15:53

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Migrant workers and their families wait in a queue for transport to reach a railway station to board a train to their home state of northern Uttar Pradesh, after a limited reopening of India's giant rail network following a nearly seven-week lockdown to slow the spreading of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Ahmedabad, India, May 16, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]

NEW DELHI - India's federal health ministry Sunday morning reported 120 new deaths from COVID-19, and 4987 positive cases since Saturday in the country, taking the number of deaths to 2,872 and total cases to 90,927.

This is the highest one-day spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.

"As on 8:00 am (local time) Sunday, 2,872 deaths related to novel Coronavirus have been recorded in the country," read information released by the ministry.

On Saturday morning the number of COVID-19 cases in the country was 85,940, and the death toll was 2,752.

According to ministry officials, so far 34,109 people have been discharged from hospitals after showing improvement.

"The number of active cases in the country right now is 53,946," read the information.

Sunday marks the 54th straight day of the ongoing lockdown across the country announced by the central government to contain the spread of the pandemic.

The lockdown, announced on March 25, was again extended for the second time on May 1 until May 17. The fourth phase is scheduled to begin from Monday.

New rules for the lockdown's fourth phase are expected to be announced soon.

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