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India recorded 5,242 new cases in the last 24 hours - the highest spike the country has seen so far, just as the government has begun to ease restrictions.

This takes the total number of cases to 96,169, with around 56,000 active infections.

While the lockdown is slated to end on 31 May, some non-essential shops and businesses have begun to reopen, and buses have been allowed to operate across cities and towns, and even cross state borders if they have permission.

Easing the lockdown is seen by some as essential for India's battered economy to recover - job losses have crossed 120 million.