Forbes says India’s COVID-19 outbreak is world’s worst with highest daily cases among all nations

Forbes published an article yesterday (10 Apr) saying that India’s COVID-19 outbreak is now the world’s worst.

The number of new COVID-19 infections in India surged this week, making its outbreak the fastest-growing in the world as it struggles with widespread vaccine shortages and a low vaccination rate.

India reported 145,384 new coronavirus cases yesterday, the fifth time this week that it hit a new daily infection record. In the past one month, India’s COVID-19 cases have been climbing steeply non-stop, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

India’s number of daily COVID-19 cases now tops the world. It has surpassed previous frontrunners Brazil and U.S. with number of new cases at 93,000 and 83,000 respectively yesterday.

Deaths in India have also gradually climbed in recent weeks. Hospitals are reported to be overflowing with sick patients and running low on oxygen. India’s vaccination rate is currently lagging behind other countries with severe coronavirus outbreaks like Mexico and Brazil.

One community and 31 import cases in Singapore

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that there was 1 community case among the 32 new COVID-19 infections reported in Singapore yesterday.

The community case involves a 71-year-old Indian national who is a short-term visit pass holder. The woman arrived from India on 28 Dec last year. She served her stay-home notice (SHN) at a dedicated facility until Jan 10, and tested negative for COVID-19 on Jan 8.

The woman previously came into close contact with 2 confirmed cases – known as Cases 59169 and 59173 – during their flight to Singapore.

Last Monday (5 Apr), she developed a fever and was tested for COVID-19 when she sought medical treatment the next day, said MOH. Her test result came back positive for COVID-19 infection last Thursday (8 Apr). But on Friday (9 Apr), when she was tested again, it showed negative.

Still, her serological test result came back positive, which is indicative of a past infection, said MOH.

“She could be shedding minute fragments of the virus RNA, which are no longer transmissible and infective to others, but given that we are not able to definitively conclude when she had been infected, we will take all the necessary public health actions as a precautionary measure,” added MOH.

Of the 31 imported cases:

• Indian – 16
• Bangladeshi – 4
• Indonesian – 3
• Burmese – 3
• Filipino – 3
• Malaysian – 1
• Singaporean – 1