24 shocking and heartbreaking images that reflect the degree of desperation in India over COVID-19 and scandalize the population

India set new records on Friday for COVID-19 with more than 330,000 infections and 2,263 deaths per day, just a day after crossing the 300,000 case barrier for the first time, as the oxygen deprivation emergency continues. The wave appears devastating, sweeping through entire communities desperate for lack of resources to deal with the disease born in Wuhan, China, More than a year ago.

The 332,730 new cases in the Asian country bring the total since the start of the pandemic to 16.2 million, according to data from the Indian Ministry of Health., making India the second country with the most infections, behind the United States alone (31.9 million). Meanwhile, the bodies of the victims are crammed into morgues and crematoriums. Thousands of these bodies are reduced to ashes in the open air within minutes of being killed..

The rise of new cases in this second wave was dizzying in the Asian country, with an increase of over 100,000 cases just last week, which contrasts with the less than 10,000 infections recorded last February, when many believed the worst was over.

In addition, the number of daily deaths continues to increase, with a new high in the country of 2,263 deaths in the last 24 hours, 186,920 in total, deaths that in some cases health authorities are responding to the lack of oxygen crisis in many parts of India.

To help alleviate this crisis, the central government issued new ordinances on Thursday to allow the free flow of oxygen between states, without imposing ”restrictions on manufacturers and suppliers“.

However authorities or health centers in the most affected regions, such as western Maharashtra or New Delhi, continue to report problems with the availability of oxygen and medicines on a daily basis, due to the saturation of the health system in a country with some 2.4 million active cases. And complaints are growing at the same rate as outrage, which could have even more serious political consequences.

One of the resource-limited centers was the hospital Aries Ganga of New Delhi, who launched an appeal for help last night in which he assured, according to a statement collected by local media, that “25 of the sickest patients have died in the last 24 hours. The oxygen will last two more hours, ”so they needed supplies as soon as possible.

The lack of response from the administration Narendra Modi showed “total arrogance, in terms of decision making“, He said Harsh mander, writer and human rights activist, at the information network CNN. “The government has fully and clearly demonstrated (a lack of) competence and compassion“He added.

The Indian population is exhausted and exhausted after more than a year of the pandemic. Patients and their loved ones – unable to receive necessary care – have resorted to begging on social media for drugs and hospital beds. And experts who have warned for months of a possible second wave are frustrated that their warnings have not been heeded. Modi’s popularity is under threat.

Total lockdown in Delhi and other areas

In an attempt to curb the increase in cases and reduce hospital pressure a little, the authorities in the capital, like other regions of the country, have imposed total confinement of the population for a week, which will end first. Monday.

New Delhi, a city of around 20 million people, recorded 26,169 cases and 306 deaths in the last day, while Maharashtra remains the Indian state most affected by this second wave, with 67,013 new cases and 568 deaths reported.

With the containment of the population as a last resort to avoid the collapse of the economy, the vaccination campaign that India launched last January is seen as the only way to end this health crisis in this country of 1 , 35 billion inhabitants.

This week, the government announced that from May 1 it will allow inoculation of its entire population over 18, also liberalizing the prices of vaccines in a bid to increase their production and availability.

So far, the country has administered 135 million doses since the start of the vaccination campaign last January, including 3.1 million in the past 24 hours.

(With information from EFE and media) .-

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