Saturday, May 1st, 2021
Thousands of dead within a day
India reports more than 400,000 corona cases
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The coronavirus is spreading faster and faster in India. Hundreds of thousands more people are infected every day – their number has now reached a new high within 24 hours. The health system was already overloaded when a fatal fire disaster occurred in a clinic.
India was the first country in the world to have more than 400,000 new corona infections in one day. The Indian Ministry of Health said 401,993 cases were reported within 24 hours. The total number of infections detected since the beginning of the pandemic rose to 19.1 million. According to the ministry, the number of corona deaths increased by 3,523 to a total of almost 212,000. However, experts assume a high number of unreported cases. The previous day, 3498 deaths were registered within one day.
India had developed into the epicenter of the corona pandemic in the past few days. Around seven million infections have been recorded since the beginning of April alone. The dramatic increase in the number of infections is probably also due to the new virus variant B.1.617. India’s already poorly equipped health system is already completely overloaded. In many hospitals, beds, medical oxygen and medication are scarce.
Corona vaccinations have been approved for all adults in India since this Saturday. So far, priority has been given to people aged 45 and over and certain risk groups. However, several Indian states reported that they had run out of vaccine doses or had already run out. So far, less than 10 percent of people in India have received at least one dose of vaccine. About two percent are fully vaccinated.
More than 40 countries, including Germany and other EU countries, have pledged aid to India. A first flight with German aid supplies was made ready for take-off in the morning. As the Federal Ministry of Defense tweeted, the aircraft of the type A350 of the Air Force will bring 120 ventilators to New Delhi during the day. A first aid shipment from the USA arrived on Friday. A US military transport aircraft with 400 oxygen cylinders, other clinical equipment and almost a million rapid corona tests on board landed in New Delhi.
At least 18 patients die in a hospital fire
Meanwhile, a fire disaster occurred in a hospital in the western Indian state of Gujarat, in which at least 18 corona patients were killed. Another 50 people were rescued in the early morning by locals and firefighters from the four-story Welfare Hospital in the city of Bharuch, reported the Times of India newspaper, citing the police. They were taken to other hospitals.
At least 18 people died in the fire in the clinic in Bharuch.
(Photo: dpa)
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The pictures show the remains of people who were burned alive on stretchers and in beds, it said. The fire broke out in a ward for Covid 19 patients and was extinguished after an hour. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
It was not until April 23 that at least 13 corona patients died in a fire in an intensive care unit in Virar, north of Mumbai. Fires are common in India, including in hospitals. The reason for this is often poor or outdated equipment in the building.
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