Indian figures reveal downward trend in coronavirus infections

A health officer in protective suit gives hand sanitiser to another at a Covid-19 testing centre in Dharmsala, India (Ashwini Batia/AP)

India has reported 48,648 new coronavirus cases, continuing a downward trend in infections even as the country’s caseload has crossed eight million and is only behind the US.

The Health Ministry also reported 563 new fatalities in the past 24 hours, raising the overall death toll to 121,090 on Friday.