With 3,900 new cases, India records largest COVID-19 spike yet; nationwide tally reaches 46,433 cases, 1568 deaths

The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in India had crossed the 46,000-mark on Tuesday, while the death toll topped the 1,500-mark as well. At 10 AM on Tuesday, the COVID-19 tally in India has reached 46,433, which includes 32,138 active cases; 12,727 cured, discharged, or migrated patients, and 1,568 deaths.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as many as 3,900 COVID-19 cases and 195 new deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours, which marks India's largest spike to date. Until yesterday, the total number of cases had crossed 42,000 and the death toll had topped the 1,200-mark.

In India, the state of Maharashtra has emerged as the epicenter of coronavirus spread where cases have crossed the 14,000-mark with more than 580 deaths. Notably, Mumbai, the financial capital of the country, has become the hotbed of the coronavirus spread in the state. One of the real challenges in Mumbai is controlling the disease contamination in Asia's biggest slum -- Dharavi, which is an extremely densely-populated region.

According to the Health Ministry, Maharashtra with 14,541 cases is the worst-affected state by the disease, followed by Gujarat with 5,804 cases.

The third phase of the nationwide lockdown began on Monday with "considerable relaxations," as the pre-existing quarantine was further extended for the second time by the Ministry of Home Affairs for two weeks beyond May 3. The Centre has eased restrictions in this period, based on the risk profiling of the districts of the country into red (hotspot), green and orange zones.

The guidelines have permitted considerable relaxations in the districts falling in the green and orange zones.

While some states have decided to abide by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs' guidelines to regulate different activities in the red, green, and orange hotspot zones based on risk profiling, some of the other states have decided to modify the pre-existing regulations to allow considerable relaxation. Many states have announced the opening of shops selling non-essential items like clothes, shoes, stationery, paan, cigarettes, and liquor.

However, governments are also keeping in place necessary curbs so as to not lose all the gains that have been achieved in the battle against the virus. As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak continues to spread like wildfire in India, the central and state governments are respectively amping up all of their efforts to check potential contamination.