India is setting new COVID-19 records every day, and its hospital system has been struggling to keep up with the deadly virus’ spread, according to CNN.
On Saturday, India set a new record of 349,691 daily new cases of the coronavirus — the fourth record-breaking day in a row for India.
- The country said 2,767 people died in 24 hours, setting a new record for COVID-19 deaths for the ninth day in a row, CNN reports.
- “The sky-rocketing COVID-19 infections are devastating India’s communities and hospitals. Everything is in short supply — intensive care unit beds, medicine, oxygen and ventilators. Bodies are piling up in morgues and crematoriums, and authorities have been forced to hold mass cremations at makeshift sites,” according to CNN.
COVID-19 troubles in India
Less than one week ago, India shattered the record for daily COVID-19 cases, as I wrote about for the Deseret News. At the time, the country saw 312,731 new cases in one day, according to The New York Times, which was thousands ahead of the 300,669 record set by the United States in January.
- India is currently facing a second wave of COVID-19 infections, which has rattled the health care system there. It doesn’t help that there’s a “double-mutant” of the coronavirus in the country, which links two different mutations of the coronavirus together, becoming more transmissible and dangerous.
What’s next?
The Biden administration said over the weekend that it would send raw materials to India to help improve the COVID-19 vaccine production there, according to CNBC. The U.S. will also send over “therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators and protective equipment” to help India deal with the surge of cases.
- “Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need,” National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said in a statement, according to CNBC.
The United Kingdom said it would send 600 pieces of medical equipment to India as well, according to CNN.