OXYGEN DEPLETING AS COVID WAVE HITS `LIKE A STORM'

Authorities in Delhi said the Indian capital's hospitals would start running out of medical oxygen by Wednesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country faced a coronavirus “storm” overwhelming its health system.

Modi said the federal government was working with local authorities nationwide to ensure adequate supplies of hospital beds, oxygen and antiviral drugs to combat a huge second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The situation was manageable until a few weeks ago. The second wave of infections has come like a storm,” he said in an address to the nation, urging citizens to stay indoors and not panic.

India reported its worst daily death toll on Tuesday, with 1,761 people succumbing to the virus, raising the total toll to 180,530 — still well below the 567,538 reported in the United States.

“While we are making all efforts to save lives, we are also trying to ensure livelihood and economic activity is less impacted,” Modi said, urging state governments to use lockdowns only as a last resort.