India coronavirus cases hit 2.5 million

Frontline COVID-19 coronavirus warriors such as health workers, patients ambulance drivers, crematorium workers, wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suits hold Indian national flags as part of the Independence Day celebrations in Kolkata on August 15, 2020. (AFP)

A police band member plays the flute during India's 74th Independence Day parade in Kolkata on August 15, 2020. (AFP)

Municipal workers carry roses presented to them as a token of appreciation for their service in the fight against COVID-19 coronavirus during India's 74th Indian Independence Day celebrations at the Manek Shaw Parade Grounds in Bangalore on August 15, 2020. (AFP)

• India is behind the United States and Brazil in the number of cases
• Subways, schools and movie theaters remain closed

MUMBAI: India’s confirmed coronavirus cases have crossed 2.5 million with another biggest single-day spike of 65,002 in the past 24 hours.
India is behind the United States and Brazil in the number of cases.
The Health Ministry on Saturday also reported another 996 deaths for a total of 49,036. The average daily reported cases jumped from around 15,000 in the first week of July to more than 50,000 at the beginning of August.
The Health Ministry said the rise shows the extent of testing with 800,000 carried out in a single day. But experts say India needs to pursue testing more vigorously.
India’s two-month lockdown imposed nationwide in late March kept infections low. But it has eased and is now largely being enforced in high-risk areas.

The new cases spiked after India reopened shops and manufacturing and allowed hundreds of thousands of migrant workers to return to their homes from coronavirus-hit regions. Subways, schools and movie theaters remain closed.