India has new record for coronavirus infections: 414,188 cases and nearly 4,000 deaths in 24 hours

India continues to break its own records for coronavirus infections and recorded 414,188 cases this Friday in just 24 hours in addition to touching the 4,000 daily deaths, in the midst of a second virulent wave that caused a health collapse and a shortage of oxygen.

The number of infections since the start of the pandemic in this country of about 1,350 million people now stands at 21.4 million, according to the latest data from the Indian Ministry of Health., making India the second most affected country in the world behind the United States (32.6 according to Johns Hopkins University).

India has also recorded 3,915 deaths from covid-19, a figure a little lower than the record recorded yesterday and which brings the total number of deaths to 234,083.

The vaccination program opened last Saturday to the entire population over 18 is seen as the main hope to get out of this crisis, in the midst of a second virulent wave and while health authorities have warned in recent days that a third wave of the virus is inevitable.

The country administered 2.3 million vaccines in the past 24 hours, a number on the rise after being slowed down by underdosing in various states. The country has administered 164 million injections since the start of the “world’s largest vaccination program” in January.

However, to date, just over 2% of the Indian population has been completely inoculated with one of the country’s approved formulas, AstraZeneca’s Covishield, which is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), or Covaxin, of Indian laboratory Bharat Biotech; to which is added the imported Russian Sputnik V.

The second wave of the pandemic has put India’s healthcare system on the cutting edge, with oxygen shortages and beds in cities like New Delhi.

This increase in cases has been attributed in part to a relaxation of measures against the coronavirus by the population and the organization of mass events, such as huge election rallies or the religious holiday of Kumbh Mela.

The Indian government has, however, acknowledged that the dramatic increase in cases over the past month and a half in many states across the country shows a “correlation” with the increased presence of the Indian “double mutant” variant B.1.617.

(With information from EFE)

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