India reports highest single day spike of 28,637 new COVID-19 cases, total nearing 850,000

India's central health ministry on Sunday reported 551 new COVID-19 deaths and 28,637 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours across the country, bringing the total tally to 22,674 deaths and 849,553 infections. 

This is said to be the highest single-day spike in the number of fresh cases in the country so far. 

According to ministry officials, so far 534,621 people have been discharged from hospitals after showing improvement. 

The country has entered "Unlock 2.0" phase, though restrictions remain in full force inside the COVID-19 containment zones. 

On Thursday, the government of Uttar Pradesh, the country's biggest state in terms of population, decided to impose a weekend lockdown from Friday night till Monday morning, to cut the chain of COVID-19 transmissions.