Deadly second wave takes over as India adds nearly 300,000 new Covid cases

Photo source: financial express

India is in the midst of a second deadly coronavirus outbreak, with the number of new infections increasing dramatically in recent days. Oxygen, medications, and hospital beds are all in short supply, hampering the emergency response. India is facing its worst nightmare of all times. They are battling a catastrophic wave of Covid19 which has made the hospitals, doctors and crematoriums to work at their full pace. The country with a population of 130 crore people has become the major hotspot of coronavirus that has killed over three million people worldwide, even as richer countries take steps towards normality with quickening inoculation programmes. 

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, The World Health Organization (WHO) chief, said that India’s Covid-19 crisis is “beyond heartbreaking” and we are sending extra staff and supplies there to help fight the pandemic. Just in the last 24 hours, India has reported over 323,144 new cases and is still adding. The situation is so out of control that India has called on its armed forces to help tackle the devastating crisis. Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff General said that oxygen would be released from armed forces reserves and retired medical personnel would join health facilities that are struggling under the strain of cases.

With a daily increase of 295,041 in total cases, the highest ever, India’s tally of coronavirus cases has risen from 15,321,089 on Tuesday to 15,616,130 – an increase of 1.9%. Death toll has reached 182,553, with 2,023 fatalities, the most in a day so far. Now the second-most-affected country by active cases, total cases and recovery, and fourth by death, India has added 1,742,305 cases in the past 7 days. India now accounts for 11.77% of all active cases globally (one in every 8 active cases), and 5.97% of all deaths (one in every 17 deaths). India has so far vaccinated 130,119,310 people. That is 833.62 per cent of its total caseload, and 9.3553 per cent of its population.

Data: Business Standard

Lack of hospital beds and oxygen

People all over the world are posting urgent requests for help on Twitter, pleading for help bringing their families into hospitals. Late Monday, officials in Delhi, the capital city, which has seen a spike in cases, started a six-day lockdown in the hope of slowing virus transmission and relieving pressure on the health infrastructure. 

Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi chief minister, said his government is fighting an uphill battle to provide facilities and oxygen to those in need.

“If 25,000 patients come every day, then the system will crumble. There is a shortage of beds. Oxygen has become an emergency in Delhi,” Kejriwal said, while announcing a lockdown set to last until April 26.

The chief minister has asked authorities to ensure that about 700 metric tons of oxygen are delivered to hospitals and treatment centers every day. Special officers have been named by the state health department to oversee the overall procurement process and ensure that oxygen is delivered to hospitals and nursing homes.

A shipment of necessary medical supplies from the United Kingdom which included 100 ventilators and 95 oxygen concentrators, arrived in Delhi, the capital of India, early on Tuesday. France is also coming out to help the nation and sending oxygen generators that will provide year-long oxygen for 250 beds as said by the embassy. The US has also come out to help India and pledged that they will provide full support and assistance of resources to help fight the battle against Covid19.