India has reported its worst single-day increase in Covid-19 cases since late December, as the western state of Maharashtra battled a fresh wave of infections and imposed a lockdown in one of its most densely populated cities.

According to Reuters, a total of 22,854 new coronavirus cases were reported in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said. Deaths rose by 126 to reach 158,129.

Fresh outbreaks in Maharashtra forced officials to announce a lockdown — including a curfew and an order to shut most offices and shops — in the commercial and logistics hub of Nagpur from March 15-21.

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