India reports record 126,789 new COVID-19 cases

India reported a record-high 126,789 new COVID-19 cases, health ministry data showed on Thursday, with much of the country struggling to contain a second surge in coronavirus infections.

Deaths rose by 685, taking the tally to 166,862, the data showed. India's overall caseload reached 12.9 million, the third-most affected globally, behind the United States and Brazil.