India's Covid count crosses 50,000-mark; toll rises to 1,711

The last three days saw addition of 10,000 new cases, which enhanced the doubling rate to 10.3 days from 11.5 days earlier.

The spike in the number of Covid-19 cases despite the lockdown is a worrying sign for the health authorities even as limited reopening of businesses to keep an already sluggish economy alive triggered worries of fresh wave of contagion. 

The spike in Covid-19 cases in the country has been due mainly to the spread of the pandemic in the hot spots across Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi, the three worst-hit states. 

While it took seven days for the number of cases to climb from 20,000 to 30,000, and the tally rose from about 30,000 to 40,000 in five days, more than 10,000 cases were recorded in the last three days, showing signs that the pandemic is yet to peak in the country. 

India recorded its first 10,000 Covid-19 cases in nearly 43 days, beginning in March after three isolated cases were first reported in Kerala in January.

Some projections show the peak for the current wave of cases could hit in four-six weeks, with studies expecting another spurt in winter this year.

On Wednesday, the number of infections in Delhi rose to 5,532 after 428 new cases were reported.

On average, India has reported 2,900 cases over the last five days. The corresponding numbers for the previous five days and those before that were 1,731 and 1,547. The data, which is based on official figures from states, shows that more than a third of the total cases have been reported over the past week.

Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, reported 1,233 new cases and 34 more deaths on Wednesday, while the overall count stood at 16,758. Of these, 10,527 cases – about a fifth of the national tally – have been reported in Mumbai alone. 

Union health minister Harsh Vardhan said he will hold a meeting with Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to discuss the worsening situation in the state.

“The situation in Maharashtra is certainly a matter of concern right now as 34 out of 36 districts are affected by Covid-19… Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Solapur, among the 34 districts are a cause of concern for us,” the minister said at a news briefing, adding that a central team will provide further help to the state.

Gujarat also saw a spike in fresh Covid cases, with the tally rising to 6,625 on Wednesday.

Tamil Nadu also recorded its biggest single-day jump of 771 cases n Wednesday as the surge of Covid-19 count continued in the state - the majority of them from the hot spot of a market in Koyambedu. The total infections in the state stood at 4,829.

Experts fear a further spike in the number of Covid cases with the arrival of overseas Indians as the government plans to bring back a large number of citizens stranded abroad.

In the first week of a massive air operation expected to begin on Friday, 64 flights will bring 15,000 Indian citizens home from 12 countries. All those who travel back have to pay for their tickets, undergo screening and quarantine after landing. The navy has already kicked off one leg of the evacuation exercise by dispatching two warships to the Maldives.

The Union government has maintained that the country is on the right path in controlling the infections.

While experts have praised India’s action in enforcing a nationwide lockdown on March 25, they say the next few weeks will be crucial for the country to flatten its curve of infections.