BENGALURU, April 22 (CNA) - India on Thursday (Apr 22) reported more than 300,000 coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, the highest daily global total, while COVID-19-related deaths also jumped by a record.

India's daily jump in cases of 314,835 surpasses the previous highest one-day rise in the world of 297,430 cases posted by the United States in January.

India's total cases are now at 15.93 million, while deaths rose by 2,104 to reach a total of 184,657, according to health ministry data.

Twenty-two COVID-19 patients at a hospital in India died on Wednesday when the oxygen supply to their ventilators was disrupted by a leak.

The tragedy comes as India battles severe shortages of medical supplies during a fierce second wave of coronavirus infections.

The deaths come a week after Thackeray asked Indian pilots to airlift oxygen supplies to the region to alleviate severe shortages as COVID-19 infection numbers climb.

Hospitals in India's capital New Delhi have come perilously close to seeing their oxygen supplies run out as infections continue to spike in the country of 1.3 billion.