India has reported a record 28,701 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the number of infections to almost 900,000, AP reported.

Several Indian states have imposed weekend curfews and locked down high-risk areas as its coronavirus cases surge.

The total of 878,254 is behind only the United States and Brazil. The Health Ministry also reported another 500 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking India's total fatalities from Covid-19 up to 23,174.

The ministry said the recovery rate was continuing to improve at 63 per cent.