“BEYOND HEARTBREAKING”: BIG GATHERINGS WORSEN CRISIS IN INDIA WHO SAYS

Tue 27 April 2021:

The World Health Organization chief described the situation in the world’s second-most populous country as “beyond heartbreaking”.

India’s new coronavirus cases have stayed above 300,000 for a sixth consecutive day on Tuesday, while its armed forces pledged urgent medical aid to help battle the staggering spike in infections overwhelming its hospitals and even the crematoriums.

Many countries including the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States have pledged to send urgent medical aid, with the first shipment from the UK arriving early Tuesday.

New Delhi built a makeshift crematorium in a parking lot after a spike in #COVID19 deaths: “People are just dying… there is no sign of relief.”

India is nearing 200,000 deaths.

Families are blaming shortages of vital medical supplies: “This government has failed us so much.” pic.twitter.com/1diooacVHK

— AJ+ (@ajplus) April 27, 2021

Some people in India are rushing unnecessarily to hospital, exacerbating a crisis over surging COVID-19 infections caused by mass gatherings, more contagious variants and low vaccination rates, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

“Currently, part of the problem is that many people rush to the hospital (also because they do not have access to information/advice), even though home-based care monitoring at home can be managed very safely,” WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told Reuters by email.

Time For World To Help India: UN General Assembly Chief

Expressing worry over the surging coronavirus cases in India, President of the UN General Assembly said it is time for the world to extend help and support to the country, which had supplied crucial COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable nations.

“I’m worried about the #COVID19 situation in India, a country which did so much to ensure #Vaccines4All in vulnerable countries. It’s time for the world to extend aid & support to India. No one’s safe until we’re all safe,” President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly Volkan Bozkir tweeted Tuesday.

Last day of Hindu festival

About 20,000 devout Hindus gathered on the banks of the Ganges River in the northern city of Haridwar on the last auspicious day of the festival for a bath they believe will wash away their sins.

“We believe Mother Ganga will protect us,” said a woman on the riverbank, where Reuters images showed people bathing with few signs of distancing measures, despite calls to be careful.

Tuesday’s turnout was low, however, said Sanjay Gunjyal, a police official handling the arrangements, compared to the hundreds of thousands in previous weeks, as the crisis prompted many monk groups to limit participants to “symbolic” numbers.

A doctor in the Indian capital New Delhi said the situation in Indian hospitals is “totally devastating”, with ventilators and ICU beds fully occupied.

“There are no beds in the wards, our emergency room is full of patients, they have nowhere to go,” Sumit Ray told Al Jazeera via Skype.

“Our young resident doctors, nurses, are totally traumatised. They’re working really hard but they are devastated emotionally,” he added.

Over 1,000 COVID deaths ‘missing’ in Delhi: Report

An investigation by India’s NDTV network reveals the actual number of deaths from COVID-19 might be much higher than the official figures.

The channel says it visited the capital’s civic body and seven cremation grounds and found that at least 1,150 deaths did not make it to the official list.

Data collected from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s 26 crematoriums shows that 3,096 cremations of COVID-19 victims were conducted between April 18 and April 24, while the total deaths released by the Delhi government in the same time period show 1,938 deaths.

Senior Turkish, Indian officials discuss coronavirus

Turkish presidential spokesman discussed the latest developments on the coronavirus outbreak with the Indian national security adviser.

Ibrahim Kalin told Ajit Doval that Ankara was ready to offer help and show solidarity with India, according to diplomatic sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.

India welcome at anti-virus video meeting – China

China will hold a video conference with South Asian governments to discuss fighting the coronavirus and India is welcome to join, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry said, amid ongoing tensions with New Delhi over border clashes.

China organised Tuesday’s meeting with the governments of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, according to a ministry statement.

Asked about whether India was invited, Wang Wenbin, a ministry spokesman, said India was welcome to join.

COVID not a ‘You vs Us’ battle: India opposition leader

The president of India’s main opposition Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, says the battle against the coronavirus pandemic in the country is not a “You versus Us” battle and urged the government to ensure more “political alignment” in tackling the crisis.

“For the last one year, the Congress Party has extended its full cooperation to the government. We believe that fighting COVID is not a ‘You vs Us’ battle but is an ‘Us vs Corona’ battle,” Gandhi said in an interview to The Indian Express.

“This battle is, therefore, beyond political alignments. We have to fight this battle together as a nation. The Modi government must realise that the battle is against COVID, it is not against the Congress or other political opponents.”