WASHINGTON - India’s prime minister has urged Indians to be diligent in the fight against COVID-19.

Narendra Modi warned Sunday about being lulled into complacency.

“I will urge you that we should not be trapped into overconfidence and nurse the belief that in our city, in our village, in our streets, in our office, coronavirus has not reached and that is why it will not reach,” Modi said.

Observers say India’s massive population, in addition to its poor sanitation and infrastructure, have contributed to a recent surge in cases.

India has more than 26,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 825 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

“We need to be careful that physical distancing, covering the face with a cover or a mask and washing our hands again and again,” continue, Modi said, adding those actions “will be the biggest medicine to fight this disease in the days to come.”