The spike comes as the country begins to ease one of the world's most severe lockdowns, in which almost everything except essential services such as healthcare and food supplies was shut.

While European countries have already peaked, experts have said that's yet to happen in India. Dr Randeep Guleria, director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, has said that cases could peak in June-July, which is also the flu season.

But other epidemiologists believe the peak may vary from state to state, as the progress of the disease has also differed widely across regions.

Maharashtra state alone, for instance, accounts for nearly 40% of India's confirmed cases - and along with Gujarat it makes up nearly 70% of the national death toll from the pandemic.