India reports world's highest rise in COVID-19 cases

In a late surge, India has reported more than 300,000 coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, the highest global daily total so far.

India's daily increment of 314,835 cases surpasses the previous highest one-day global rise of 297,430 cases posted by the United States in January.

The country now has a total of 15.93 million cases, the second-highest tally in the world, while deaths jumped by 2104 to reach a tally of 184,657, according to data from the Indian Health Ministry.

This brutal second wave of coronavirus infections, attributed to the "double mutant" variant and "super-spreader" mass gatherings, has stretched the country's desperately underfunded public healthcare system to a breaking point.

Reportedly, a large number of hospitals are reporting acute shortages of beds and medicines, and are reaching critically low levels of oxygen for patients.

At least 24 coronavirus patients died in Western India’s Maharashtra state on Wednesday, as the oxygen supply to their ventilators ran out, amid a nationwide shortage of medical oxygen, hospital beds and medicines such as the anti-viral drug, Remdesivir.

Health experts have criticised the Indian government for "letting its guard down" when the pandemic was gradually being brought under control, by allowing gatherings such as weddings and festivals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing intense criticism of his handling of the pandemic, especially for addressing packed political rallies for local elections and permitting a Hindu festival to go ahead, where millions gathered.

Modi said in an address to the nation on Tuesday night that “all efforts are being made” to boost supplies of medical oxygen across the country.