India records 17,336 new coronavirus cases, a four-month high

India recorded 17,336 new daily infections of the coronavirus, the health ministry said on Friday, the highest single-day rise since February 20, according to a Reuters tally.

India's richest state of Maharashtra recorded more than 5,200 new infections on Wednesday, state authorities said, with 2,479 of those coming from the financial capital of Mumbai.

Daily infections in India have been rising for the past month, and the number announced on Friday was a jump of more than 4,000 from Thursday's, which stood at 13,313.

The number of daily deaths from COVID-19 went up by 13, the ministry said, taking total mortalities to 524,954.