Hundreds of paramilitary forces have been deployed in coronavirus-hotspot Gujarat state as India faced a surge in the number of deaths and infections from the outbreak, AFP reported.

The western state of Gujarat has become one of the most severe hotspots with about 6,500 cases.

Ahmedabad, with a population of more than 5.5 million people and 70 per cent of the state's virus cases, has become one of India's hardest-hit cities along with Mumbai and New Delhi.