Lockdown curbs eased in India despite surging coronavirus cases

Indian authorities have further eased coronavirus lockdown restrictions even as cases and deaths surged across the country, news reports stated.

According to AFP, the Home Affairs Ministry said that gatherings of up to 100 people would be allowed with face masks and social distancing at cultural, entertainment, sports and political events from next month.

India is currently the third worst hit country in the world behind the US and Brazil.

India has the world’s fastest growing number of recorded cases, now at 3.5 million, and more than 62,000 pandemic deaths.

With more than 70,000 cases being added each day, experts say it could be many weeks before the pandemic peaks in the country of 1.3 billion people.

The main opposition Congress party has called for the government to set out a firm plan to stop the spread of the pandemic.