India hits global record of over 314,000 new COVID-19 cases

As the world's second-most populous country, India reported Thursday a grim global record of over 314,000 new coronavirus infections, sending more and more sick people into a fragile health care system critically short of hospital beds and oxygen, AP reports. 

The 314,835 infections added in the past 24 hours raise India's total past 15.9 million cases since the pandemic began. It's the second-highest total in the world next to the United States. India has nearly 1.4 billion people.

Fatalities rose by 2,104 in the past 24 hours, raising India's overall death toll to 184,657, the Health Ministry said.

A large number of hospitals are reporting acute shortages of beds and medicine and are running on dangerously low levels of oxygen.

The New Delhi High Court on Wednesday ordered the government to divert oxygen from industrial use to hospitals to save people’s lives. "You can't have people die because there is no oxygen. Beg, borrow or steal, it is a national emergency,” the judges said responding to a petition by a New Delhi hospital seeking its intervention.

The government is rushing oxygen tankers to replenish supplies to hospitals.

India’s Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday that "demand and supply is being monitored round the clock.” He said in a tweet that to address the exponential spike in demand, the government has increased the quota of oxygen for the worst-hit seven states.

Lockdowns and strict curbs have brought pain, fear and agony to many lives in New Delhi and other cities.

News.Az 

You Might Also Like