Fueled by an ongoing surge in India, the world's second most populous country, the global COVID-19 total passed 28 million cases today, amid cases trending higher in other parts of the world, including Europe.
The pandemic total today climbed to 28,287,928 cases, which includes 911,591 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins online dashboard.
Maharashtra state in India is hot spot
India again today reported a record 1-day total for anywhere in the world, with 96,551 new cases.
Maharashtra state, home to Mumbai, has been reporting about 20,000 cases a day and is responsible for much of the country's surge, Reuters reported. The state has now passed the 1 million case mark, and India's total will soon hit 5 million cases.
Local officials told Reuters that the state's surge is related to partially reopened factories, local festivals, and lockdown fatigue.
In another development, researchers from India reported yesterday that for every case confirmed in May, 82 to 130 went undetected, according to a separate Reuters report. Writing in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, they estimated that India had nearly 6.5 million cases in May, though 180,000 had been officially recorded.
Flare-ups continue in Europe
France reported a daily record high of 9,843 cases yesterday, as lawmakers prepare to discuss reimposing lockdowns in hot spots. Hospitalizations are rising, but haven't reached the peak in April, while intensive care unit (ICU) admissions have risen to levels reported in June.
Likewise, Greece also reported a record daily high yesterday, registering 372 new cases. Of the latest cases, 114 were linked to an outbreak at a food processing plant and 133 were reported from the Athens area, Reuters reported.
Rises in other European countries have led to tightened measures. Austria is requiring mask use in more indoor places and has limited gatherings to 50 people, and Romania just extended its state of alert and required face mask use in all indoor public spaces.
And in England, researchers from Imperial College London today reported that cases are now doubling every 7 or 8 days, with the reproduction number rising to 1.7.
They based their findings on results from home swab tests from more than 150,000 people between the middle of August and the beginning of September. They saw higher rates in younger adults and in northern regions.
