S Asia becoming new hotspot

South Asian coronavirus cases have increased at the fastest rate globally in the past week, as the region becomes one of the latest pandemic hot spots.

Infections have risen by 27 per cent in Pakistan, while in Bangladesh cases spiked by 19 per cent, and 17 per cent in India, according to data of the 20 most affected nations compiled by Bloomberg. Pakistan and Bangladesh also had their single biggest daily spike in fatalities.

As cases dwindle in the United States and Europe, they are still increasing in South America and South Asia. Nearly 75 per cent of global cases are coming from 10 countries in the Americas and South Asia, according to WHO.

Countries across South Asia have started to ease their virus lockdowns as they attempt to balance rising cases against economic misery. Pakistan had expected a peak in June but now is expecting late July or August, Prime Minister Imran Khan said in an address to the nation on Monday.

"The world has eased lockdowns since even developed countries have decided they can't survive with a prolonged lockdown," said Khan in a televised briefing on the pandemic, noting the restrictions had a "devastating impact on unemployment and poverty in poor countries".

Pakistan crossed 113,700 cases and become the second-largest most-infected nation in Asia, with over 2,250 deaths. In Bangladesh, the tally surged to 74,865 including 1,012 deaths, while India has 276,583 cases and 7,745 deaths.

To understand the scenario better, the example of Maharashtra might show some light.  Last week, Maharashtra had surpassed China's tally of around 84,000 cases. India's financial capital Mumbai has reported a total of 51100 COVID-19 cases and surpassed China's Wuhan, the epicentre of the pandemic.

"Lockdowns are being eased in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh without any sign that coronavirus infections are being brought under control," Mark Williams, chief Asia economist and Shilan Shah, senior economist at Capital Economics wrote in a report Tuesday. "For a start, there is no telling how long containing the virus might take or indeed if it is even possible in South Asia."

WHO has told Pakistan it should implement "intermittent" lockdowns to counter a surge in infections. Some 25 percent of tests in Pakistan come back positive for COVID-19, saidWHO.