Globally, the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus has now exceeded 145,449,878 with more than 3,088,239 deaths while India recorded the world’s highest daily tally of 414,635 COVID-19 infections for the second day in a row on Friday as a third wave of the epidemic increased new alarm about the ability to crumble health systems to cope.
Latest COVID-19 situation in India
India is reporting the number of COVID-19 deaths – and cases – amid an alarming scarcity of medical oxygen and beds in its hospitals as a brutal second wave of the virus engulfs its under-funded, flimsy healthcare system. Health authorities across northern and western India, including the capital New Delhi, say the hospitals are fully occupied and running out of oxygen supplies.
India, the world’s second-most populous nation recorded a single-day high of nearly 332,730 new cases and record 2,263 deaths on Friday. With the emergence of new cases, the total number of cases of coronavirus has risen to 1, 62 63,695 and the number of active cases has exceeded 2.4 million.
Coverage by media showed heart-wrenching scenes of COVID-19 patients facing trouble breathing queuing on stretchers outside health facilities, waiting to be treated or allow inside hospitals to run at full capacity. As per the media reports, several patients died outside hospitals without getting an opportunity to be treated.
Indian authorities have put oxygen tankers on special express trains as key hospitals in New Delhi plead on social media for more supplies to save patients who are struggling to breathe.
Reasons for the increase in covid-19 cases
The huge surge in COVID-19 infection has put massive damage on India’s health system, producing heart-breaking images of people desperately looking for hospital beds and oxygen tanks to save virus-infected patients.
Shortages of anti-viral drugs, medical oxygen, beds and other necessary equipment in different parts of the country, coupled with an increasing number of sick people, continue to devastate hospitals.
According to health experts, the reasons behind India’s skyrocketing COVID-19 infections is negligence on the part of citizens and government officials have led to everyone letting their guard down, possible reinfections because of a loss of antibodies and new virus variants have all contributed to the surge.
The “double mutant” variant, identified as B.1.617, first surfaced in the Maharashtra state of India, is presently the major one in the country and it’s fatal and more infectious.
Health experts and doctors opinioned that the upsetting trend of rising infections can be traced to two reasons — extremely virulent mutations of the original virus, and the Indian authorities’ lax approach to limitations on daily life to slow the spread of COVID-19.
China offers India assistance
China has offered help to India amid a worsening COVID-19 situation in the South Asian country. Beijing said communication is in progress with Indian authorities if they needed support and assistance, according to state-run media reports.
“The Chinese government and nation will resolutely support India in its fight against the plague and are willing to offer support and assistance in accordance with the needs of the Indian side,” Global Times quoted Lijian Zhao, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, as saying.
What needs to be done now?
A nationwide lockdown to control the spread of the virus will be an extreme step and it will be economically disastrous. It is imperative that private players and industry join forces with the government to increase hospitals’ capacity.
Moving forward, Indian state governments should act properly and adapt their steps to the evolving situation. It is important the government should take steps to restrict gatherings in public places like cinema halls and shopping malls and among others.
