An unprecedented 60 percent of Indians believe that the coronavirus threat is hyperbolised, even as the number of confirmed cases in the country surged past 400 on March 23.

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This startling finding came out in the IANS CVoter-Gallup International Association Corona Tracker I, based on interviews of over 20,000 people, both men and women, in 22 countries around the world. Asked their response to the statement: "I believe the threat from coronavirus is exaggerated", as much as 42 percent of Indians strongly agreed with the statement, while 12 percent just agreed with it. A net 35 percent of people disagreed with the statement.

In contrast, net 29 percent of Italians, 62 percent of Pakistanis, 17 percent French and 26 percent and 55 percent of people from the UK and the US agreed with the statement. A net 67 percent and 79 percent of Italians and French, respectively, disagreed with the above statement.

Over 15,000 people have died from COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, globally. In India, the number of cases have surged past 400, while over seven people have died.