India Coronavirus Deaths Pass 30,000

A man sits next to beds at a newly built hospital to treat Covid-19 coronavirus patients at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse, in Mumbai on July 7, 2020. - India on July 6 became the country with the third-highest coronavirus caseload in the world, as a group of scientists said there was now overwhelming evidence that the disease can be airborne -- and for far longer than originally thought. India's major cities including New Delhi and Mumbai are suffering the most, and critics say not enough tests are being conducted -- meaning that many COVID-19 infections are likely to go undiagnosed. (Photo by Punit PARANJPE / AFP) — A man sits next to beds at a newly built hospital to treat Covid-19 coronavirus patients at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse, in Mumbai on July 7, 2020.(Photo by Punit PARANJPE / AFP)

India’s death toll from the novel coronavirus overtook France’s on Friday with 30,601 fatalities and nearly 50,000 new cases overnight, official data showed.

The death toll is the sixth-biggest behind the US, Brazil, Britain, Mexico and Italy, according to an AFP tally. It has the third-highest caseload with almost 1.3 million infections.

In the past 24 hours the country recorded 740 new deaths from the virus and 49,310 fresh infections, according to the health ministry.

But many experts say that with testing levels low, the extent of the pandemic across the world’s second-most populous country may be far worse than officially reported.

A antibody study commissioned by the government showed this week that almost a quarter of people in the capital New Delhi have had the virus — almost 40 times the official number.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government imposed one of the world’s strictest lockdowns in late March, but it has been steadily eased to lessen the devastating economic impact of the pandemic.

State governments have brought in fresh restrictions as cases soar in Bangalore and away from the big cities in Bihar, West Bengal, Kashmir and parts of Tamil Nadu.

Southern Kerala state, earlier hailed as a success story and which has already imposed partial restrictions, may decide on Monday to impose a full statewide lockdown, reports said.

AFP