COVID-19: India is fourth worst affected country

India is the world's fourth-worst coronavirus-affected country after recording 10,956 new infections during a 24-hour period.

Its total number of confirmed cases has risen to 297,535 and the death toll rose to 8,498 with a one-day jump of 396 fatalities, government data showed.

India had 141,842 active cases and 147,195 patients had recovered or discharged as of 8 am on Friday, the Ministry of Health said.

The country has surpassed Britain and Spain in infections, with the United States, Brazil and Russia being the three worst-hit countries.

The federal medical research agency on Thursday said India's mortality rate per 100,000 of the population was the lowest in the world and denied community transmission of COVID-19.

"India is not in community transmission. We have to continue with our strategy of testing, tracing, tracking, quarantine and containment measures; we should not give up our guard on these," said Balram Bhargava, director-general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The state of Maharashtra has the highest recorded cases, followed by Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

-- BERNAMA