According to a tally India has overtaken Russia in the number of cases and become third in worldwide. File photo

A record 24-hour surge of 38,902 new cases has taken India’s coronavirus total to 1,077,618.

The Health Ministry on Sunday also reported 543 additional deaths for a total of 26,816.

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The number of people who have recovered continues to grow. The Health Ministry data shows 677,422 patients have been cured so far across the country, putting the recovery rate at 62.82%.

Experts say India is likely to witness a series of peaks as the infection spread in rural areas.

Experts believe the true numbers around the world are higher because of testing shortages and data collection issues in some nations.

Most people in rural areas have stopped wearing masks in Bangladesh. File photo

In Bangladesh, confirmed cases surpassed 200,000 but experts say the number is much higher as the country lacks adequate labs for testing. Most people in rural areas have stopped wearing masks and are thronging shopping centers ahead of the Islamic festival Eid Al Adha this month.

Scientists, meanwhile, poured cold water on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s hope that the country may return to normal by Christmas, saying that, without a vaccine, normal life was a long way off.