The Asian country was setting records for several days in a row in the number of new infections and deaths. In the past 24 hours, 350,000 new infections were recorded and about 2,700 people killed several days ago. Both numbers may be higher.
The increasing numbers are much related to the new Indian variety circulating in the country. “This alternative has flooded the virus market in India in no time,” said virologist Mark Van Ranst this morning on “The Seventh Day”.
Indian physician Hemant Sharma said on “The Seventh Day” that the so-called second wave is also the result of a more flexible attitude among the population. A strict lockdown was introduced in the first wave. When the economy subsequently opened up again, people also began to adhere to a lesser degree by general coronavirus measures.
However, the Indian healthcare system cannot handle the rapid influx of Corona patients. Hospitals must reject patients due to lack of beds. There is also a significant lack of oxygen in many hospitals. In recent days, dramatic images of this have circulated all over the world.
According to official figures, nearly 200,000 Indians have already died from the effects of the Coronavirus. More than 16 million people have been affected by the virus. However, these numbers should be seen in context: India has a population of 1.39 billion.
Watch the conversation with Indian physician Hemant Sharma on “The Seventh Day”:
