Title: India Exceeds 24 Million COVID-19 Cases

Indian health authorities announced today, Friday, that over 343,000 new COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to more than 24 million. According to data from the Indian Ministry of Health, "343,144 new COVID-19 cases were registered in the last 24 hours, increasing the total number of infections to over 24 million, along with 4,000 new deaths." The Ministry's data indicated that India recorded about 1.4 million cases and more than 16,000 deaths in just the past week. The current total number of cases stands at 24.05 million, while total deaths have reached 262,317. The pandemic situation is particularly dire in the rural areas of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in the country, which has around 320 million residents. Television footage shows families mourning the deceased from the disease in hospitals or in tents, in areas where their loved ones are being treated.