India Surpasses 200,000 COVID-19 Deaths

India’s coronavirus death toll has topped the 200,000 mark as it continues to be mired in a catastrophic surge of the disease.  

The Health Ministry reported 3,293 deaths Wednesday, a new single-day record for fatalities, pushing India’s total death toll to 201,187.  The South Asian nation also set a new single-day record for new confirmed infections with 360,960, taking its overall cases to nearly 18 million.    The second wave of the coronavirus has pushed India’s health care system to the brink of collapse, with hospitals crammed with so many coronavirus patients that authorities have been forced to convert train cars into COVID-19 isolation wards, while an acute shortage of oxygen continues to aggravate the already desperate situation.  Many parks and parking lots have been converted into makeshift crematories that are working day and night to burn dead bodies.