The Latest: India reports record deaths as new cases dip

India has set another record for daily COVID-19 fatalities even as infections dipped further

NEW DELHI — India has set another record for daily COVID-19 fatalities even as infections dipped further. The Health Ministry on Wednesday reported 4,529 deaths in the last 24 hours, driving the overall toll to 283,248. India also confirmed 267,334 new infections, as daily cases dropped below 300,000 for the third consecutive day. Both numbers are almost certainly undercounts. Even as India’s overall cases have shown signs of slight decrease, deaths have continued to rise and hospitals are still swamped by patients. Over the last month, India’s COVID-19 fatalities have jumped sixfold. India’s vaccination drive is also faltering just at the time when it is needed the most. The number of daily vaccine doses has fallen by about half over the last six weeks, from a high of 4 million a day on April 2 to around daily 2 million or fewer this week.