India surges past two million coronavirus cases, angry health workers launch a strike

FILE PHOTO: A health worker adjusts his personal protective equipment (PPE) before collecting samples at a school which was turned into a centre to conduct tests for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), amidst the spread of the disease, in New Delhi, India, August 6, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

MUMBAI, India (Reuters) - India, the country hardest hit in Asia by the coronavirus pandemic, reported on Friday a record daily jump in infections, taking its total number of cases over two million, as government struggled to contain the spread amid striking health workers.

More than 3.5 million health workers, who have been the foot-soldiers in the Covid-19 detection efforts across India, embarked on a two-day strike from Friday to secure better wages and proper protective equipment.