Indian states impose stricter lockdowns as COVID deaths hit record high

Policemen stand in front of Jama Masjid or Grand Mosque on Jumat-ul-Vida or the last Friday of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, during a lockdown to limit the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the old quarters of Delhi, India, May 7, 2021. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

CHENNAI (Reuters) -India on Saturday reported its highest ever single-day COVID-19 death toll, as cases continued to rise and states imposed stricter lockdowns.

India's health ministry reported 4,187 fatalities over the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll close to 240,000. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates that India will see 1 million COVID deaths by August.