NEW DELHI (Reuters) – South Asia’s coronavirus infections have crossed 37,000, with more than half in India, official data showed on Thursday, complicating the task of governments looking to scale back lockdowns that have destroyed the livelihoods of millions.
People wait to receive free food at an industrial area, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spreading of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New Delhi, India, April 23, 2020. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui
Authorities in India sought this week to ease a stringent 40-day lockdown of the population of 1.3 billion by allowing farm and industrial activity in the least-affected rural areas.
But more than 1,400 new cases reported on Wednesday, for one of India’s biggest single-day jumps in recent weeks, carried its tally to 21,392 infections.
“We have to remain focused in this fight, the effort is to stop the spread at any cost,” said Satyendra Jain, the health minister of Delhi, one of India’s top three virus hotspots.
“If we want end the lockdown, we have to br