India reopens metro despite passing Brazil as second-worst hit by Covid-19

The United States, with more than 6 million cases, remains the worst-affected country

A metro train carrying staff members moves through a residential area ahead of the restart of its operation, amid the spread of the coronavirus in Kolkata, India. Reuters

A worker cleans the entry gates at a Delhi Metro station ahead of the restart of its operations, in New Delhi, India. Reuters

An Indian metro worker sanitises a metro train as a precautionary measure for coronavirus in New Delhi, India. EPA

A Delhi Metro rail employee sanitises a coach during a media preview as the Delhi Metro network prepares to resume services partially after shutting down for more than five months because of the pandemic, at Rajeev Chowk metro station in New Delhi. AFP

Delhi Metro employees sit inside a train during a media preview as the network prepares to resume services partially, at Rajeev Chowk metro station in New Delhi. AFP

A Central Industrial Security Force personnel wearing PPE stands guard during a media preview as the Delhi Metro network prepares to resume services partially, at Rajeev Chowk metro station in New Delhi. AFP

A private security guard stands near a social-distancing mark at a Delhi metro station during a press preview to show the preparedness of Delhi Metro at a station in Delhi, India. AP

Workers sanitise a metro coach in New Delhi, India. AP Photo

Indian metro workers sanitise a coach as a precautionary measure in New Delhi, India. EPA

An Indian metro worker sanitises his hands from machine placed at the entrance of a metro station as a precautionary measure in New Delhi, India. EPA

Indian metro workers sanitise a metro station as a precautionary measure for coronavirus in New Delhi, India. EPA

Police personnel travel on a trial run by maintaining social distancing during a media preview as the Chennai Metro prepares to resume services partially, at a metro station in Chennai. AFP

A worker demonstrates how to use a foot-operated lift door during a media preview as the Chennai Metro prepares to resume services partially, at a metro station in the capital city of southern Tamil Nadu state. AFP

Member of the Bengaluru Metro security staff wear mask and face shield to protect herself from the pandemic stand guard at city metro station in south Indian city of Bengaluru. EPA

A member of the Bengaluru Metro ground staff, wearing a mask and face shield to protect herself from the coronavirus, cleans inside a coach at city metro station in south Indian city of Bengaluru. EPA

India became the second worst-hit country by the coronavirus pandemic on Monday as urban metro trains partially resumed service in the capital New Delhi and other states as the government pushes to sustain a weakened economy.

The 90,802 cases added in the past 24 hours pushed India's total past Brazil with 4.2 million cases. India is now only behind the United States, which has more than 6 million.

India's health ministry on Monday also reported 1,016 deaths, taking the overall tally to 71,642, although experts have suggested that fatalities from the virus are not being properly reported and the real figure could be much higher.

The Asian country has been recording the world's largest daily coronavirus caseload for almost a month even as the government pushes to open businesses to revive a contracting economy.

Medical experts said the country was in the middle of a second wave of the pandemic in some parts of the country, and that case numbers had surged because of increased testing and the easing of restrictions on public movement.

Virologist Shahid Jameel, who heads the Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance said the growth rate in infections was "quite alarming".

"Over the past two weeks, the... average has moved from about 65,000 cases per day to about 83,000 cases per day, that is about a 27 per cent increase over two weeks or about two percent per day," Mr Jameel told Agence France-Presse.

Last week, news organisations reported that country's caseload went from three to four million in just 13 days, faster than the US and Brazil.

The pandemic will not finish this year as the virus has spread from big cities to other parts of the country, Randeep Guleria, the director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, said in an interview with India Today TV.

The number of cases could continue to rise before the curve flattens out, he said.

The pandemic is now spreading through rural areas which have poor health facilities but is also resurging in big cities like Delhi and Mumbai.

But on Monday the metro, a rapid transit system that serves India’s sprawling capital New Delhi and adjoining areas – resumed operations after five months.

Safety precautions are in place to minimise the risk of transmission on the usually-crowded service. Only asymptomatic people were allowed to board the trains, with masks, social distancing and temperature checks mandatory.

“We are on our way. It’s been 169 days since we’ve seen you!” the Delhi Metro tweeted on its official Twitter account.

The capital’s metro train network is India’s largest rapid transport system. Before closing down in March, the packed trains carried an average of 2.6 million passengers daily.

Its reopening comes at a time when India has the fastest-growing coronavirus crisis in the world and the economy has shrunk faster than any other major nation's.