South Asia surpasses grim milestone of 15 million COVID-19 cases: Reuters tally

Coronavirus infections in the South Asia sub-region surpassed the grim milestone of 15 million on Saturday, a Reuters tally shows, led by India`s record daily infections and vaccine shortages.

South Asia - India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, and Sri Lanka - accounts for 11% of global cases and almost 6% of deaths. The region accounts for 23% of the world`s population of 7.59 billion people.

India, the country with the third-highest coronavirus total, accounts for over 84% of South Asia`s cases and deaths.

The world`s second-most populous country reported 145,384 new cases on Saturday, the fastest climb in the world and the country`s fifth record this week, as well as 794 deaths. The government blames the current spike on crowding and a reluctance to wear masks.

India is accounting for one in every six reported infections in its current surge.

While ramping up its vaccination drive, inoculating about 4 million people a day, several states said they were rationing doses as the federal government was not refilling stocks in time.

India`s western neighbour Pakistan, the second-hardest hit in the region, is in its third wave, recording more than 700,000 cases and 15,000 related deaths.

It has seen a sharp rise in cases in the past 10 days. Officials say there are now more people in intensive care than at any other point during the pandemic.

Bangladesh, India`s eastern neighbour, is reporting about 7,000 cases a day, totalling some 678,937 cases.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given Bangladesh 1.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

At least 94.1 million people had received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose in southern Asia by Friday, according to figures from Our World in Data.