India COVID death toll tops 200,000 as essential supplies run out

India records more than 300,000 new infections for the seventh straight day as more countries promise to send rapid aid.

India’s death toll from COVID-19 has crossed the grim milestone of 200,000 as the country continued to face shortages of hospital beds, medical oxygen and other essential supplies. A calamitous second wave of the coronavirus has seen at least 300,000 people test positive each day for the past seven days, overwhelming health facilities and crematoriums and prompting an increasingly urgent response from allies overseas sending equipment. The health ministry on Wednesday recorded 360,960 new cases in the previous 24 hours, for the world’s largest single-day total, taking India’s tally of infections to nearly 18 million. It was also the deadliest day so far, with 3,293 fatalities carrying the toll to 201,187.