The two faces of India: 100 million people vaccinated and the daily record of Covid-19 infection

NEW DELHI.- India is at the most critical moment of the pandemic in terms of number of infections nationwide after recording more than 150,000 cases in a single day in the past 24 hours, according to the latest report from the Asian giant’s Department of Health and Family Welfare. However, it managed to outperform the United States in more people vaccinated.

According to local TV channel NDTV, these are precisely 152,879 additional infections, to which must be added another 839 deaths from yesterday, this time below death records such as those recorded in September of last year, when it exceeded the thousand daily deaths .

India is facing this new brand at the same time as it has become “the fastest country in the world” by administering more than 100 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. The Ministry of Health, cited by the BBC, he said that reached the goal in 85 days of the vaccination campaign, while the United States reached it in 89 days and China in 102.

For 32 days, the country has recorded a non-stop increase in infections, the majority concentrated in five states: Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala, in particular the first, of which the chief minister, Uddhav Thackeray, is once again considering the idea of ​​total containment.

The rallies led New Delhi’s central government yesterday to ban most public gatherings and set limits on attendance at restaurants, theaters, public transport and events such as weddings and funerals. A special three-day emergency vaccination program also began this Sunday in which vaccination centers will open at extended hours to maximize the number of people who receive the dose.

On the other hand, at least six states complain about the shortage of doses, while the federal government insists that they have 40 million vials ready for delivery and that the “accusations” of lack of immunizers are. “Absolutely unfounded”.

Current world leader in vaccination in less than three months, vaccination campaign aims to cover 250 million people by July, but according to experts, the vaccination rate should be even faster to achieve this goal. So far, workers on the front lines of exposure to the virus0 and those over the age of 60 have been vaccinated, but now anyone over the age of 50 can receive the vaccine in administration centers and hospitals.

With the substantial increase in infections in recent weeks and the record for the past 24 hours, the country has accumulated a total of 13.3 million cases and 169,275 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Indian government drug exports prohibited remdesivir given the sharp rise in coronavirus infections. The country has now restricted overseas shipping of the drug used to treat Covid-19.

“It is possible that this demand will increase in the coming days,” the ministry said in a statement according to the AFP news agency, which is why it has decided to ban exports of remdesivir “until the situation is improving, “after detecting the explosive increase. in cases that would have caused a sudden increase in demand for the drug.

Remdesivir, produced by the US laboratory Gilead Sciences, Inc., was one of the first drugs to show promise against Covid-19 because it causes fairly rapid improvement in some patients. However, World Health Organization (WHO) -supported Study Says Drug Has “Little or No Effect” on Covid-19 Mortality.

Last year, Gilead signed licensing agreements with generic drug producers based in India, Pakistan and Egypt to manufacture remdesivir and distribute it in 127 low-income countries.

In India, seven companies produce it, with a monthly capacity of up to 3.88 million injectable doses, according to the ministry. In addition, India, home to the world’s largest manufacturer of anticovid vaccines, has reduced the pace of its exports of the immunizer due to the increase in recorded cases in its territory, which has led several states to warn that they may run out of doses soon. .

DPA, AFP, ANSA and Telam agencies

THE NATION