India endures new Covid wave - 28th April 2021

Almost 1 billion people have been vaccinated in the global efforts to counter the pandemic. Yet in India, new coronavirus cases have soared - in one day over 350,000 cases were diagnosed and more than 2,800 deaths recorded.

Hospitals have been overwhelmed and rendered ill-equipped to provide care, given the lack of space and of medication.

Stocks of oxygen are extremely scarce across the country and the government has loaded specially chartered trains with oxygen to supply the worst-hit cities. India's air force has also been deployed to transfer oxygen tanks across the country and to bring oxygen-related supplies from Singapore.

Although the dramatic surge in Covid-19 has been blamed on a new variant, there has been little scientific evidence to back this. The more likely reasons for the rapid spread are the festivals of Holi and Kumbh Mela, which despite Covid-19 attracted over 1 million people.

The government has laid the blame for the deadly new wave on the people themselves. India has not had a full lockdown since the first wave last year.

Being one of the world's main vaccine manufacturers, India has distributed 60 million vaccines abroad. It has also effectively inoculated over 100 million people since January. Yet, with a population of nearly 1.4 billion, the quantities required will be immense.

The emergency in India has prompted donations of oxygen, ventilators and supplies from countries around the world.