NEW DELHI: The number of people infected with the coronavirus crossed 22,000 in densely populated South Asia on Friday (Apr 17) driven by a rise in cases in India as the tiny Indian Ocean island nation of Maldives locked down its capital.
Health officials have warned that the region, home to a fifth of the world's population, could be the new frontline against the disease because of millions living in packed slums and fragile public health systems.