India sets global record of 314,000 new coronavirus infections

(AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

India has reported a global record of more than 314,000 new coronavirus infections as a surge in the world’s second most populous country sends more people into a fragile health care system critically short of hospital beds and oxygen.

The 314,835 infections added in the past 24 hours raise India’s total past 15.9 million cases since the pandemic began – the second-highest total in the world after the US. India has nearly 1.4 billion people.