India records 90,000-plus coronavirus cases for fourth day in a row

Sept. 13 (UPI) -- India reported 94,551 new coronavirus cases Sunday, the fourth day in a row the Asian nation recorded more than 90,000 infections as cases worldwide passed 29 million.

One day earlier, India recorded 97,570 cases, the third day in a row the nation set the world daily record. No other nation comes closes to that level, including the United States with more than 70,000. One week ago, India set the cases record with 78,761.

In all, India has recorded 4,754,861 million cases, which is second behind 6,516,861 million in the United States. Brazil is third with 4,330,455 million.

India has also reported the third most deaths in the world with 78,586, including the addition of 1,114 new deaths Sunday, which is also a national record.

India's mortality rate of 57 deaths per million is far below the average of 118.8 in the world, 598 in the U.S. and 617 in Brazil, according to Worldometers.info. The mortality rate is determined by comparing cases with deaths.

India is the second-most populous country in the world with 1.38 billion people behind China's 1.44 billion and a mortality rate of 3 per million.

Despite surging numbers, India's parliament will begin its monsoon session Monday. All parliament members along with those in their family have undergone testing.

The world death toll is 927,934 with cases at 29,173,121.

The only other Asian nation in the top 10 is Iran, which reported 128 new deaths Sunday and is in 10th place.

In Asia, 164,250 people have died from the virus.

Mainland China, the original epicenter of COVID-19, has slid to 29th with 4,634 deaths and none since April 26. The nation reported 10 cases.

In South Korea, strict social distancing regulations will be lifted for the next two weeks in the greater Seoul metro area, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Sunday. The measures were enacted on Aug. 30 and were set to expire Sunday.

"We took into consideration the social fatigue, as well as the results of the strict disease prevention measures," he said.

Restaurants and bakeries will no longer need to close between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., and franchise cafes and ice cream shops will now able to provide sit-in services again.

Indoor gatherings are limited to 50 people and outdoor gatherings to 100 people. Also remaining closed are bars, clubs, singing rooms and door-to-door sales services.

The nation reported three deaths for a total of 358.

In Japan, 11 deaths were reported for a toll of 1,423, including 74 in the past week. From mid-June to mid-August no day had more than 10 deaths. But in the first 12 days of September, it has had at least double-digit deaths all but three times, including 19 on Sept. 5.

Israel, which is in Asia, has gone into a new lockdown amid a rise in cases, including 1,037 Sunday, as well as 5 deaths for a total of 1,108.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that schools, restaurants, stores and hotels will shut down for at least three weeks starting Friday, which is the start of Rosh Hashanas at sundown. Also people's will not be allowed to go more than one-third of a mile from home.

It is the second lockdown in the nation.

Mexico is in fourth place with the most deaths at 70,604, including 421 more Saturday.

A travel ban for non-essential travel remains among Mexico, United States and Canada through Sept. 21.

Canada is far behind the U.S. and Mexico in the number of deaths with 9,170, including one Sunday after none Friday, the first time since March no fatalities were announced.

All but around 11,000 of the 289,547 deaths are in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

In South America, with 228,057 deaths, four nations in the top 15. Besides Brazil, Peru is eighth with 30,710 deaths, followed by Colombia with 22,924 in 11th and Chile 14th with 11,949.

Brazil added 389 deaths Sunday.

Four European nations are in the top 10 for most deaths: Britain is fifth with 41,628, Italy sixth with 35,610, France seventh with 30,910 and Spain ninth with 29,747.

In all, the virus has killed 212,543 in Europe.

Deaths in Europe are a small fraction compared earlier in the pandemic.

Britain reported five additional deaths Sunday with the record daily high 1,172. No. 6 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter and reached 919 in one day, reported seven deaths.

No. 7 France reported six new deaths and 7,183 cases, one day after a 10,561 infections. No. 9 Spain reported no data.

Russia is in 12th place, adding 94 deaths Sunday, but is fourth in cases worldwide with 1,062,811, including 5,449 more Sunday.

In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week the government was "working hard" to increase testing capacity to 500,000 tests a day by the end of October, including ones that can "turn around results in 90 or even 20 minutes. Crucially, it should be possible to deploy these tests on a far bigger scale than any country has yet achieved -- literally millions of tests processed every single day."

Britain has conducted more than 19 million tests, an average of 283,901 per million, compared with nearly 92 million in the U.S. and an average of 276,783.

In Italy, schools reopen Monday. Around 13,000 teachers have tested positive among more than 500,000 employees, including teachers, who were tested. In all, there are 970,000 school staff. Employees who tested positive are not permitted to return to work until they have a negative test.

In Australia, the state of Victoria began easing restrictions Sunday night, as infection numbers continue to drop with 41 cases and seven deaths. In early August, they hit 686 cases in one day. Outside Victoria, there were no additional deaths and one case. The nation's total death toll is 810.

In Melbourne, outdoor activities, including playgrounds and outdoor fitness equipment, will be allowed, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said. Also, those living alone or single parents will be allowed to have one other person in their home.

Outside Melbourne in Victoria, up to five people from a maximum of two households can gather in outdoor public places.

In New Zealand, the death toll is 24, which went up by one each on Sept. 4 and Sept. 5 after no fatalities since May 28. The cases are 1,797, including two Sunday.

In Africa, 32,556 people have died from the virus, including 15,427 in South Africa with 49 new ones Saturday. Egypt is second with 5,627, including 20 more.

South Africa is eighth in total cases at 648,214, including 49 Saturday.

"One has to wonder whether the stringency of the lockdown was worth the effort, significant sections of economic activity have been permanently damaged," Dr. Azar Jammine, the director and chief economist with Econometrix, told Fox News. "It is doubtful whether the country can restore growth even to levels prevailing prior to the COVID-19 crisis within the next few years."

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