BENGALURU/MUMBAI: India reported its worst single-day increase in COVID-19 cases since late December on Thursday, as the western state of Maharashtra battled a fresh wave of infections and imposed a lockdown in one of its most densely populated cities.

A total of 22,854 new coronavirus cases were reported in the last 24 hours, the health ministry said. It was the highest daily rise since Dec. 25, according to a Reuters tally.

Deaths rose by 126 to reach 158,129. Fatalities have been rising by a daily average of roughly 100 since early February.

India’s overall caseload of 11.3 million. The figures are still well below September’s peak of more than 90,000 a day.