India’s daily COVID-19 deaths hit all-time high
The country reports 3,780 deaths on Wednesday
INDIA has recorded more coronavirus-related deaths in one day than ever before as ,780 people died in the past 24 hours, India’s Health Ministry said on Wednesday.
Confirmed new infections reached 82,000 in India in the same period, which means that in absolute numbers India is the country most affected by the pandemic after the nited States, with a total of more than 20.6 million recorded coronavirus infections.
Experts believe that the actual number of victims is significantly higher than the official figures.
In parts of the country, it is reportedly difficult to get tested for the coronavirus at all. Especially in rural areas, many people die at home, and not all of these cases show up in the statistics.
India’s second wave of COVID-19 has caused havoc in health-care systems, ooded hospitals with patients and overburdened cremation facilities. Anger over the mishandling of the pandemic is also reaching Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The strongman leader’s government has been slammed for misreading the situation, having an ineffective response and underestimating the numbers of sick and dead.
Medical experts say Modi arrogantly declared India had defeated COVID-19 instead of utilising the time during the lull in cases after the first wave to boost critical care facilities.
On cue, many Indian states dropped their guard and began to dismantle their COVID-19 infrastructure, leading to the crisis.
In view of the situation in the country, Australia recently banned all entry from India including for its own citizens.
An Australian stranded in Bengaluru, India’s Silicon Valley, is planning legal action against the entry ban. The ban is initially scheduled to remain in place until the middle of this month. Violators of the rules face up to five years in prison and have also been threatened with heavy fines.
Meanwhile, international aid has been pouring into India.
Consignments of oxygen containers, cylinders and other medical equipment arrived on Tuesday from Germany, Britain, the nited States, Kuwait and the nited Arab Emirates.
Another German military transport took off from the Wunstorf airbase in the north of the country bound for India on Wednesday carrying components for a plant to produce oxygen.
“We are proud to be making a major contribution with our air transport to the global fight against the coronavirus,” Luftwaffe Lieutenant-General Ingo Gerhartz said.
On Saturday, the Luftwaffe already ew 120 ventilators along with technicians for constructing and operating the oxygen equipment to New Delhi. Another transport from Wunstorf is scheduled for Thursday.