India's coronavirus infections rise to 6.84 million

People are seen at a shopping mall amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mumbai, India, October 8, 2020. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

India's total coronavirus cases rose by 78,524 in the last 24 hours to 6.84 million on Thursday morning, data from the health ministry showed.

Deaths from COVID-19 infections rose by 971 to 105,526, the ministry said.

India's death toll from the novel coronavirus rose past 100,000 on Saturday, only the third country in the world to reach that bleak milestone, after the United States and Brazil, and its epidemic shows no sign of abating.

People eat at a food court at a mall after they reopened amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mumbai, India, October 8, 2020. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

Last week, India further eased restrictions and permitted states to open schools and movie theatres.

(Reporting by Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru; Editing by Kim Coghill)

A waiter walks past tables that have been blocked to maintain social distancing at restaurant after they reopened amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mumbai, India, October 8, 2020. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

Urinals are blocked to maintain social distancing at a toilet inside a shopping mall amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mumbai, India, October 8, 2020. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

A worker cleans a swimming pool before it is reopened for athletes, amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Ahmedabad, India, October 8, 2020. REUTERS/Amit Dave