India world’s 2nd-most affected country, no quick relief in sight

NEW DELHI: India reported another record daily surge in coronavirus infections on Monday to pass Brazil as the country with the second-most reported infections since the pandemic began.

The 168,912 cases added in the last 24 hours pushed India’s total since the pandemic began to 13.5 million, while Brazil has 13.4 million, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

India also reported 904 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking its total to 170,179, which is the fourth-highest toll, behind the United States, Brazil and Mexico.

India is experiencing its worst surge of the pandemic, with a seven-day rolling average of more than 130,000 cases per day. Hospitals across the country are becoming overwhelmed with patients, and experts worry the worst is yet to come.

The latest surge also coincides with the shortage of vaccines in some Indian states, including western Maharashtra state, home to financial capital Mumbai, which is the worst hit state and has recorded nearly half of the country’s new infections in the past two weeks.

An expert panel of India’s drugs regulator has recommended emergency use approval of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, two sources said on Monday, which could make it the nation’s third to be approved as infections surge again.

In the UAE, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) registered 1,928 coronavirus cases on Monday.

Aside from the new cases, the ministry recorded 1,719 recoveries and two deaths.

Using state-of-the-art medical testing equipment, it carried out 193, 896 additional COVID-19 tests in the last 24 hours.

In a statement, the Ministry stressed its aim to continueexpandingthescopeoftestingnationwide to facilitate the early detection of coronavirus cases and carry out the necessary treatment.

The UAE has recorded 485,675 positive coronavirus cases since the outbreak, 470,175 of those cases have recovered and 1,533 passed away.

The ministry has announced that 32,479 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were given in the past 24 hours.

The total number of doses provided up to today stands at 9,037,923 with a rate of vaccine distribution of 91.38 doses per 100 people.

This is in line with the Ministry’s plan to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to all members of society and efforts to reach acquired immunity resulting from the vaccination, which will help reduce the number of cases and control the COVID-19 virus.

On the other hand, in line with UAE government directives, passenger flights to and from Bangladesh are suspended with effect from 14 April 2021 until 20 April 2021. Customers travelling to and from Dhaka will not be accepted for travel.

The last flight Emirates will operate before the temporary suspension of services is EK 585 that is scheduled to depart from Dhaka at 1:40 am on 14 April.

Emirates remains commited to Bangladesh, and we look forward to resuming passenger services when conditions allow.

Etihad said on its website, “Due to an international travel ban introduced by the authorities of Bangladesh from April 14 to 20, you will be unable to travel to Bangladesh during this period.” WHO Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday confusion and complacency in addressing COVID-19 means the pandemic is a long way from over, but it can be brought under control in months with proven public health measures.

So far some 780 million vaccines have been administered globally, but measures including wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing must be applied to reverse the trajectory.

“We too want to see societies and economies reopening, and travel and trade resuming,” Tedros told a news briefing.

“But right now, intensive care units in many countries are overflowing and people are dying - and it’s totally avoidable.” In the UK, Britons toasted a significant easing of coronavirus restrictions, with early morning pints — and much-needed haircuts — as the country took another tentative step towards the resumption of normal life.

Some pubs, now allowed to serve outside, wasted no time and opened on the stroke of midnight. Others opened later -- but still much earlier than normal, and just in time for breakfast.

“I work the night shits in the hospital,” said Richard Newman, a 32-year-old doctor at the Royal London Hospital, as he waited with friends outside the Half Moon pub in east London at nine am.

Africa must expand vaccine manufacturing to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and future health emergencies, including by forging partnerships to boost expertise and investment, continental leaders and international health officials said on Monday.

Africa has struggled to acquire coronavirus vaccines and imports the vast majority of its medicines and medical equipment, leaving it at the mercy of overseas supplies.