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India’s second rampant wave of Covid-19 surpassed 400,000 new daily cases for the first time on Saturday, as the country opened its mass vaccination campaign to all adults despite acute shortages in some states. The pandemic also continues to wreak havoc in Brazil.
Authorities reported 401,993 new cases in the previous 24 hours, the highest daily number in the world, after 10 consecutive days out of 300,000. Covid-related deaths jumped by 3,523, bringing the total in India to 211,853, according to data from the Federal Ministry of Health.
Although India is the world’s largest producer of Covid-19 vaccines, it has a limited number of vaccines available.
The state of West Bengal was unable to start a vaccination campaign for adults between the ages of 18 and 45 on Saturday due to lack of vaccines and urged the federal government to provide more supplies, a senior official said. the health of the state which wished to remain anonymous.
The chief minister of the hard-hit Delhi state on Friday pleaded with people not to queue at vaccination centers, promising more vaccines would arrive “tomorrow or the day after.”
Opening of army hospitals
The worsening spike in infections has overwhelmed hospitals and mortuaries as families scramble for scarce medicine and oxygen.
The Indian army opened its hospitals on Friday; The troops have also helped with imported tankers and oxygen vehicles where specialized skills are needed, according to a government statement.
Experts blamed the outbreak on new, more contagious virus variants and mass public gatherings such as political rallies and religious events that were allowed to continue. On Thursday, millions of people voted in the national elections in West Bengal without worrying about social distancing.
Health Minister Harash Vardhan expressed hope that aid sent by more than 40 countries will fill the shortage of medical supplies. The United States sends over $ 100 million worth of items.
The surge in cases led US President Joe Biden to impose new travel restrictions on India on Friday, preventing most non-US citizens from entering the United States.
The UK has also sent a first shipment of supplies as EU member states pool their resources. Japan, Australia and Russia have also pledged help.
Brazil’s deadliest month
The pandemic also continued to wreak havoc in Brazil, which on Thursday became the second country to officially record 400,000 deaths from Covid-19. April was the deadliest month in the pandemic in Brazil, with around 100,000 deaths.
The number of cases and deaths has declined slightly in recent times, with the daily death toll dropping to 2,400 from more than 3,100 in early April.
Local health experts have celebrated the recent decline in cases and deaths, as well as the eased pressure on the Brazilian healthcare system, but only modestly. They fear a new wave of the disease, like those seen in some European countries like France and Germany.
Less than 6% of Brazilians have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to Our World in Data, an online research site. President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently under investigation by a Senate committee into his administration’s handling of the crisis, reiterated he would be the last to be vaccinated and attacked mayors and governors who impose restrictions to control the spread of the virus.
Shortly after the publication of this grim landmark, Bolsonaro said in a live broadcast on his social media channels that “a large number of deaths have been announced,” adding that he was “sorry for every death. “. But he reiterated his position against the social distancing measures.
“I pray to God that there is no third wave” of the coronavirus, the president said. “But if the lockdown policies continue, this country will be dragged into extreme poverty.”
(with AFP and AP)
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