India sees worst COVID-19 increase since Christmas as western state battles surge

India reported its worst single-day increase in COVID-19 cases since late December on Thursday, as the western state of Maharashtra battled a fresh wave of infections and imposed a lockdown in one of its most densely populated cities. A total of 22,854 new coronavirus cases were reported in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said. It was the highest daily rise since Dec. 25, according to a Reuters tally. Deaths rose by 126 to reach 158,129. Fatalities have been rising by a daily average of roughly 100 since early February.