New Delhi, May 31 -- Any hope that the blazing sun or a favourable planetary configuration - if not the claustrophobic lockdown or some alternative medicine or malarkey - could slow down the relentless march of coronavirus across the globe seems to be misplaced. The hopes of any approaching "global peak out" was dashed on May 29 when the world reported 1.25 lakh fresh cases and more than 5,000 deaths. This was the largest single-day spike since the start of the outbreak five months ago in China's Wuhan province.

It was a black Friday for the globe in its fight against the undead enemy. For the better part of May, the world reported around 90,000 fresh cases every day. Beginning the month at a figure of 33,94,152, the number swelled to 60...