Deaths in 2nd wave cross 2L at daily average of over 2,000

The official death toll in India's devastating second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has crossed 2 lakh. Fatalities since March 1 this year account for nearly three of every five deaths reported since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020.

India has reported more than 2.05 lakh deaths since March 1 (taken as beginning of second wave), which translates to an average of more than 2,000 deaths every day. Fatalities in the second wave are now nearly 57% of all Covid deaths in the country. India's cumulative death toll from Covid currently stands at 3,63,029.

Globally, only Brazil, with nearly 2.25 lakh deaths, recorded a higher toll during this 102-day period. The toll in the US -- which cumulatively has the highest deaths at more than 6.1 lakh -- was 82,738 since March1 (counting that day).

While daily fatalities in India have been decreasing over the last three weeks or so, more than 16,300 earlier deaths have been added to the toll since the first week of May in data reconciliation exercises, with Maharashtra accounting for 11,583, Bihar 3,951 and Uttarakhand 779.

In the last two days alone, as many as 5,873 old deaths were added, 3,951 by Bihar and the rest by Maharashtra. In comparison, the daily toll in these two days was 3,671. Reconciliation of old deaths in the overall tally is a welcome step towards more accuracy in reporting of numbers, say experts.

Second wave accounts for 62% of all Covid cases
The high number of previous deaths being reported from Maharashtra, and now Bihar, also points to the way the healthcare and reporting systems were overwhelmed by the second wave.

In terms of cases, the second wave accounts for around 62% of all Covid infections recorded in India since the pandemic hit that country. The country has recorded more than 1.8 crore new cases since March 1, as against a total caseload of a little over 2.9 crore so far.

Since March 1, India has recorded more cases of the coronavirus than the US (48.7 lakh) and Brazil (65.7 lakh) put together.

On Thursday, the country reported around 91,870 fresh cases and 1,891 fatalities, not counting 1,522 previous fatalities added by Maharashtra.

While there was a marginal dip in cases, the day's toll was the highest in four days. On Wednesday, India had recorded 93,993 fresh cases and 1,780 deaths.