The eight countries of South Asia, an area where more than a fifth of humanity lives, today together surpassed the barrier of six million cases of COVID-19.

New Delhi.- The region, whose health systems are vulnerable to the current pandemic, accumulates 6 million 72 thousand 427 people infected with the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and a balance of 98 thousand 945 deaths.

However, at least four million 840 thousand 525 patients obtained medical discharge after recovering in this region.

Most of these cases come from India, the country most affected in the bloc from the highly contagious disease.

The second most populous nation on the planet is only behind the United States in terms of the number of inhabitants infected with COVID-19.

India has a balance of 5 million 308 thousand 14 positive cases and 85 thousand 619 deaths, although at least 4 million 208 thousand 431 patients have escaped the lethal infection.

The Disaster Management Center of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, based in the Indian city of Gandhinagar, presents in its statistics Bangladesh with 345 thousand 805 people infected, four thousand 881 deaths and 252 thousand 335 individuals have been discharged from the hospital.

Pakistan, meanwhile, adds 305 thousand 31 infections, six thousand 572 deaths and 292 thousand 44 people cured; Afghanistan comes next with 38,883 infected, 1,437 dead and 32,576 medical discharges.

It is followed by Nepal, 61 thousand 593 infections, 390 deaths and 43 thousand 820 recovered patients; and then the Maldives with 9,568 cases, 33 deaths and 8,777 people cured.

Sri Lanka registers 3,281 infected, 13 dead and 3,660 discharges, while Bhutan has 252 cases, 182 medical discharges and no deaths. (PL)