Story at a glance
- New COVID-19 cases in India hit a global record high Monday, with more than 350,000 confirmed cases.
- India’s 352,991 new reported cases came on the heels of its own high mark for fatalities the previous day at 2,812.
- Virus deaths have risen nearly 89 percent over a seven-day period ending April 18.
New COVID-19 cases in India hit a global record high Monday, with more than 350,000 confirmed cases.
India’s 352,991 new reported cases came on the heels of its own high mark for fatalities the previous day at 2,812. Virus deaths have risen nearly 89 percent over a seven-day period ending April 25.
There have been more than 195,000 COVID-19 deaths to date in India, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Meanwhile, more than 130 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.
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The country’s mounting cases have strained its health care system, causing shortages in oxygen and COVID-19 drug injections. Randeep Gulieria, director of India’s Institute of Medical Sciences said in a statement released by the ministry of health Sunday night that the shortages have caused hoarding.
“Hoarding of injections like remdesivir and oxygen in homes is creating a panic and this hoarding is causing a shortage of these medicines,” the statement read.
Further, Naresh Trehan, chairman at Medanta hospital, described to CNBC on Sunday the pressure put on the nation’s medical facilities by the current wave.
“It has put a huge stress on the health care infrastructure, the supplies, oxygen because of the fact that the quantum of materials required has gone four times what it was in the first wave,” Trehan said.
“We are struggling, actually, to cope with all that,” Trehan added.
President Biden, among other world leaders, has said the U.S. will offer aid to India amid the sweeping wave.
“Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, we are determined to help India in its time of need,” Biden tweeted Sunday.
WHO leader Tedro said Friday the crisis in India serves as a “devastating reminder of what the virus can do.”
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Published on Apr 26,2021