Coronavirus

India Reports 320,000 New COVID-19 Cases

India's top health official is calling for people to wear masks at home to prevent spread.

India Reports 320,000 New COVID-19 Cases
Manish Swarup / AP
SMS

India reported more than 320,000 new cases Tuesday, increasing the total number past 17.6 million.

While the latest number remains high, it ends a five-day streak of recording a global daily record of new cases.

India's top health official is calling for people to wear masks at home to prevent spread.

Its military is lending a hand by giving oxygen supplies. And retired personnel are heading to hospitals to help overwhelmed staff. India is also converting train carriages into isolation wards as it tackles hospital bed shortages.

The World Health Organization said everyone has to step up. 

"We need global supply chains to remain open at this very critical time. This is a time really for global solidarity and it's very encouraging to see the number of countries have stepped up to help India in the hour of need because India helped other countries in their time of need," said Dr. Soumya Swaminathan Chief Scientist, World Health Organization "So, on the vaccine front, I think we need to find this kind of a global solution."