INDIA RECORDS 300,000 DEATHS AS COVID SPREADS TO RURAL AREAS

Mon 24 May 2021:

India is now one of three countries in the world, along with the US and Brazil, where the coronavirus death toll stands at over 300,000 according to updated Health Ministry data.

Experts warn that the real number of fatalities might be much higher as many deaths are not officially recorded.

India has recorded 26 million cases – second only to the US – and is now the epicentre of the global pandemic.

The country is also only the third in the world to record more than 300,000 deaths – behind the US and Brazil.

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India stands at over 26.7 million, while the number of recovered individuals has surpassed 23.7 million. The COVID-19 death toll is at over 303,000. Around 2.7 million are currently being treated for the coronavirus infection in India.

With hospitals overflowing, the health system overwhelmed in the cities and a shortage of vaccines, experts have warned India could face a third wave of infections in coming months.

“While it (spread of coronavirus) has stabilised in many parts of the country, and overall the burden has been lessened, we have a long way to go with this wave,” Dr. V. K. Paul, part of a federal government panel on COVID-19 management, told a news conference.

“For the first time, we have seen that rural areas have been affected in this pandemic.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state authorities have faced widespread criticism for failing to counter the pandemic as many officials gear up for another surge.

The slow pace of vaccination in the country is another major concern.

Over 14 percent of India’s population (more than 196 million people) has been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the Health Ministry.

Over the past days, concerns over a rising number of deadly fungus infections linked to Covid treatment have added to the overall crisis.

Mortality data in India is poor and deaths at home often go unregistered, especially in rural areas.

There are reports of journalists counting bodies at morgues themselves, to try to get a more accurate number. Some models speculate that about a million people may have actually died.

India has seen a rapid surge in infection rates since the end of last month: the reported daily increase in COVID-19 cases was at over 300,000 from April 21 until May 17. On some days, the number of new cases registered within a 24-hour period surpassed 400,000.

The US remains the country with the highest COVID-19 death toll of over 589,800. In Brazil, the total number of confirmed coronavirus-related deaths stands at over 449,000.

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