The lethal second wave of Coronavirus will likely claim nearly 1,750-2,320 lives per day in India by the first week of June 2021, if proper steps are not immediately taken to curb its spread, warned a report by the Lancet Covid-19 Commission. Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat will likely remain the most affected, according to the report titled "Managing India's second Covid-19 wave: Urgent steps".

The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic hit India hard with the number of new infections rising from 11,794 in the first week of February 2021 to 152,565 as of April 10, 2021. Death rate also touched new heights daily -- from 116 in the first week of February 2021 to 838 as of April 10, 2021. The second wave also took less than 40 days to reach the 80,000 mark. From 10,000 new cases per day in February to 80,000 new cases per day in April. In September, this journey took 83 days. Many positive cases are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, the report said.